A Certain Meltdowner's Secret Love Life
by SilverFang88
Summary: Frenda and Kinuhata are curious about the strange 'appointments' that have become the norm for ITEM's resident Level 5. Takitsubo, unfortunately, is just being dragged along for the ride.
1. 1st Appointment

Greetings to all!

Did you know that there's an urban legend that's floating around on the internet? It states that if one runs into a stagnating community of KamiKoto fanfiction that is abundant on FFnet, one need only to shout, "Help me, Comrade Ferret!". For a person named SilverFang88, captain of the Touma/Mugino ship, will come and aid those who are in distress.

If you never heard of it until now then its because I just made it up.

Spread the word.

* * *

Taking a moment, just one moment, to view the environment that was Academy City during its evening hours was something few who lived there did. It was a similar case with most folk who happen to live in concrete jungles much like it in various sections of the world.

Similar in its view, the lights, the movement of traffic, the entertainment venues that only opened their doors after hours. Much like how a person who grew up in the country-side all their life could be left in awe upon seeing how alive and lit up the city was when under the veil of darkness. Yet, at the same time, that same country boy would not view his own environment to be all that impressive since he had lived there most, if not all, of his life.

Such appreciation was rarely displayed by those who come to inhabit such places, but there were times where even those who lived in such a place their whole life could find themselves being struck by a sense of beauty.

Mugino Shizuri was not one of those people.

Beautiful as she was, the lights she created with her powerful ability were not something that left people in awe.

For when one saw light coming from #4's Meltdowner the common emotion to grip a person's heart was fear.

"Tch, honestly, this is such a waste of time." Mugino's visage, in that moment, was contorted in a less than pleasant manner that stood between irritation and boredom. The heels of her boots clacked and echoed as she stalked through the large parking garage as a brilliant green light burst forward towards her next victim. "If you pieces of shit were just gonna run away then you could have at least made it more enjoyable than this."

Which brings us to the other factor that makes Academy City mildly similar to other cities like it. The night life was not always safe, it did not always ensure the protection of the evils that existed in the hearts of men and women. No place could ever claim to be perfect or had absolute safety as tragedy was as a part of life as breathing.

This particular young woman was just one among many who had long been ensnared in such a lifestyle. She had even made a living on bringing ruin to those who stood against her and it was a profitable one as well. That was who she was, that was how she was known to be, and that was the life she had chosen for herself.

But was that all?

Was there more to her character than just another individual who thrived on creating tragedy?

The rhythmic beep from her pocket was what could be described as uplifting in some way. After retrieving the device from its confines several emotions flashed through her eyes at such a rate that it was difficult to distinguish them all. While deciphering those same emotions would be a chore in the heat of the moment, her expression told a much simpler story.

"You three can take care of the rest, I have an important appointment that I can't miss tonight."

The three other young women didn't even get a second glance from her as the Level 5 that was Mugino Shizuri began dialing a number on her phone. Likely calling for a pickup from the subordinate organization that usually took care of the clean-up after ITEM's jobs were completed. While this wasn't something many would call odd behavior, the girls present were far from satisfied with the Meltdowner's casual dismissal of herself.

This wasn't the first time either, in fact this form of departure had been an recurring theme for the better part of a month now. And between Frenda, Kinuhata, and Rikou, it was starting to become concerning.

"Basically, I'm starting to wonder if this 'appointment' is the same one as the one from last week."

Unsurprisingly enough it was Frenda who voiced her thoughts first among the three remaining members of ITEM. She already knew that, whatever it was Mugino was doing, she wasn't looking to have anyone accompanying her. A fact made painfully clear the first time Frenda had tried to tag along only to receive a fist to the head courtesy of the #4.

"...it is...I think...probably."

Rikou's statement, while indecisive, did receive a few nods from the other girls in her company. By all accounts it was too coincidental for it to not be the same thing. The likelihood that it was a person to which the Meltdowner was meeting was not an elusive thought to any of those present.

"I think tonight super confirms that she's been meeting someone these past couple weeks." Again two ladies present nodded in agreement to the statement made by one of their own. Saiai may have only voiced what each person present had assumed, however she was not for the notion of just leaving it at that. "I say we check it out and see what, or who, this super secret appointment is all about."

"B-b-basically, are you out of your mind Kinuhata!?" Said girl proceeded to violently shush her due to the abruptness and volume of the response. She almost failed to heed the girl's warning, the keyword being almost, but her tone did become more hushed than before; albeit it was still fierce. "You saw what she did the first time I tried to go with her! That had been my first offense, it hurt too I'll have you know, so what do you think she'll do to us if she catches us snooping into her business!?"

Sure, Frenda could admit that she was curious and had amused the same thought herself. Although thinking about something and actually doing it were two completely different things.

"Well, technically, it would be me and Takitsubo's first offense. We would get off lightly if that's the case and that's on the super assumption that we get caught."

"You're basically throwing me under the bus for the sake of your own curiosity!"

"True, but that just means you would have to be super sneaky."

"Do you not see the danger I'd be putting myself into!?"

"...her signal is below us right now..."

"See, even Takitsubo is curious." Saiai said this whilst hooking one of her arms around the track-suit wearing esper in what could be considered a one-armed embracement. While the gesture of thanks was appreciated, Kinuhata couldn't have been more wrong about Rikou's thoughts on the matter. Not that it mattered since Saiai was adamant about the subject of their leader's off-duty activities. "Come on Frenda, we won't stick around any longer than we need to. I just wanna see who Mugino's meeting up with and after that we can just leave; simple as that."

"Sure, right, because things are just that simple." Was the snarky yet surprisingly astute statement from Frenda who was showcasing a great degree of foresight on this particular matter. "I mean, basically, it's not like your neck is hanging on the balance here."

Again Frenda could admit to herself that she was curious about the mysterious escapades of the Meltdowner. Yet, each time she thought about it, she had to question if the pros for such curiosity were worth the cons if she were to proceed with what Kinuhata was currently suggesting? The nagging urge to find out more was a tempting avenue to explore in her mind, but to go through with it? To shadow the same woman who could turn her into a charred mess if she so pleased.

The mental imagery that was conjured always did carry a de-motivating vibe with it and this instance was no different.

"Come on, don't be a such a super bitch, besides it's not like we all have to leave as a group or anything. If you feel like skipping out at the end, then I won't stop you."

"Basically, stop trying to make me submit to peer pressure!"

"...I think it's working...probably."

"Ye—I mean no, no it's not!" Frenda's arms raised in a cross out in front of her to help further emphasize her claim. "Basically, I'm not going to risk putting my life on the line here. Nope, no way, I won't go and there is nothing you can say that will change—"

"You know, it would be super surprising if it turned out to be something like a secret boyfriend or something."

Something then immediately broke.

* * *

"Basically, she's just sitting there."

"Well, obviously, whoever is meeting up with her is super late."

"..."

Following the conversation in the parking garage, the three young women made their decision to pursue the woman known as Mugino Shizuri. Of course finding her would have a major hassle if it wasn't for Takitsubo giving them an accurate location of the #4's current location. They had to wait until she was a good ways ahead of the three of them before waving down a taxi to drive them the rest of the way.

Granted they could have done the same thing as Mugino and gotten some subordinates to act as their chauffer but Frenda had advised against it. Her reasons were justified since she didn't want any word getting back to their leader that they were sticking their nose into her private life.

It was a good call on her part and it could be attributed to her self-preservation instincts. Unfortunately she was the one who had to pay the taxi fare as it was her idea in the first place.

"Basically, I still can't believe the price for just a thirty minute drive down the road."

Kinuhata pointedly ignored the grumbling blonde to her right as she continued to keep her eyes peeled on the Level 5's visage.

They were in District 7, their home district, and Mugino was currently seated on a bench outside of a local park. It was almost 7:40pm and the lamp posts that made up the area had long since been on; casting the woman in a yellow glow thanks to the overhanging post she was sitting next to. As far as the shadow group was concerned, they were on the opposite side of the street inside one of the many chains of common convenient stores.

Specifically, they were at the book and magazine rack which was positioned right by the window. It was an added bonus that, since apparently people frequently came inside to read the manga, none of the employees bothered them.

"I think she's starting to get super pissed. Whoever it is she's waiting on must really be running late."

"Eh? How can you tell she's mad? Basically it's hard to see her expression from this side of the road. Plus this window hasn't been cleaned thoroughly enough."

The three of them had already come to conclude that Mugino was indeed meeting with someone, based purely on where she was currently sitting. Out in the open, under the light, and where she could not possibly be missed by someone who was looking for her. As far as expressions go, well, that was admittedly hard to gauge from their current position. Shizuri did have her eyes focused on her phone and her free hand had risen to cup over the lower half of her face.

If there was to be a 'tell' that gave the woman's emotions away it was how her eyes seemed to be narrowed as she stared down at her phone on the bench. Whether or not that was the case was something that could not determine with one hundred percent accuracy.

"Basically, do you think whoever she was supposed to meet stood her up?"

"If so, I almost feel sorry for the idiot."

Takitsubo, unlike the other two girls, was currently more interested in taking a swig of the bottled beverage that she had bought while the other two girls were busy staring out the window. She of course still gave fleeting glances in that direction as well, but only for a few moments before her gaze shifted towards the rack of literature. There were still plenty of students out and about, some doing last minute shopping before heading home as well as a few groups all clustered together likely on their way back to the dorms.

Having said that it wasn't easy to read who it was that the Level 5 was waiting on. However, in her latest fleeting glance, something caught her attention.

"...Is that him?"

Two simultaneous 'huh?'s escaped from both Frenda and Saiai as they followed the path that Rikou was pointing at. And indeed when they finally saw what, or more specifically who, she was pointing at the person had gradually started to slow down from what they could assume to have been a full sprint. It was a boy, no surprise there, and by the looks of it he appeared quite out of breath since he was currently hunched over while raising one hand in a very lame gesture of greeting.

His spiky hair black head of hair combined with his form being hunched over made very difficult to make out his appearance. So far all the three of them could gather from base appearances was that he hadn't changed out of his school uniform, which almost made them all dismiss him immediately.

"...basically you have got to be kidding me."

"...I super can't believe this."

Rikou just took another swig of her drink as her eyes continued to look off into the distance with no particular focus.

Frenda and Saiai's reaction did not stem from the boy even though his arrival had played a role in it. No, it was expression on Mugino's face that placed the two girls in a state of complete and utter disbelief.

For Mugino Shizuri, the 4th ranked Level 5, was currently gazing at the new arrival with an expression they had never seen on her face before. It was a look of pure contentment, a look of warmth usually reserved only for those who were considered precious, and a look of genuine excitement. Difficult as that may sound but the three girls present here were all aware of Mugino's murderous and malicious nature.

They knew what sort of monster she could be and yet not once had they ever seen this sort of expression on the woman's face.

Frightening.

A truly frightening experience.

"Huh!? W-w-w-wait a second, b-b-basically this isn't right at all!"

The boy adjusted himself a bit to face the girl whom was waiting on him and thus put his back to them during the process of standing upright. Mugino for her part was putting away her phone whilst glaring up at the face of the boy who had kept her waiting. But even then she did not appear nearly as angry as she normally did when directing at someone who annoyed or irritated her. Based on mouth movement and a few hand gestures, Mugino was saying something to which the boy responded with some of his own.

Those came to a halt when he apparently brought both hands up in what they could only speculate to be the universal sign used when pleading for forgiveness of one's misgivings.

Initially Mugino's annoyance remained steadfast but eventually his efforts were rewarded. Said reward came in the form of a smile so filled with affection that it could not possibly have been fake.

"...I don't know why, but this is super pissing me off."

Seemed she was just teasing him with the silent treatment as she eventually said something whilst giving a dismissive gesture of her hand. The boy relaxed, brought his left arm up to the nape of his neck while extending his free hand for the girl to take. Mugino did not refuse his offer, took it as she joined him in standing, yet did not remove her hand from his. Instead she interlocked her fingers with his own and pushed herself as close to his arm as possible as the two turned to begin moving along with the rest of the crowd.

"Shit, they're on the move!"

Saiai was the fastest among the group to regain her bearings and thus the first to make a move towards the exit. Frenda was only in a state of shock a full second after hearing those words before following her fellow ITEM member out the automated doors. Takitsubo, however, wore the same unfocused expression that she had maintained since she first caught sight of the boy and thus hardly reacted at all.

What she did do, however, was pick up a few magazines from the rack before walking up to the cashiers' counter.

"Thank you for your business young lady~! Please tell your friends to buy something next time ~!"

Between the three of them, her departure was the most leisurely paced one.

* * *

"Why is it that I've never been to this place?"

By 'this place' Saiai was referring to a rather plain looking restaurant that was not part of the mass of other chain restaurants scattered about the district. It seemed like one of those hole-in-the-wall eateries that were surprisingly scarce when one considers just how many food chains existed in this district alone.

"...these are good..."

Takitsubo, having been feeling the strain from their latest job, was currently in the process of regaining some much needed energy. Which was why she was currently nibbling on a small basket of french-fries set out in front of her.

"Shhh, they'll hear you!"

Frenda, on the other hand, was in danger of having an anxiety attack at this particular moment and for very good reason as well. After meeting up, Mugino and her unknown companion had traversed at least a couple blocks whilst skirting along the border of the park. From there the boy led them to this place; which meant that in order to further sate their destructive curiosity the three girls had to go in as well.

It had been a tricky endeavor and for a moment the blonde had thought Mugino had spotted them, but they managed to secure a seat.

She had to thank to the interior decorator for making the cushions for the booths much higher than they usually would in other eateries.

"—so I didn't expect you to be a burger fan."

The only negative about this situation was that they were literally two booths down from where Mugino and her mysterious companion were sitting.

"Mn, usually I'm not, but I'm not really one to be picky as long as what I'm eating is decent."

Two people at the Stalker Trio table had to refrain from shouting out 'Bullshit!' to the very notion of Mugino eating a burger. Not that it was unheard of, surely she had consumed one at some point in her life. But for as long as they had known her not one of the members of ITEM seen her do so. She was the type of girl who would bring a bento to a family restaurant just because she didn't like the selection on their menu.

Yet, here she was, eating at some hole-in-the-wall diner with a guy who they knew absolutely nothing about.

For fuck's sake they had yet to even see his damned face!

Irritating!

"Well, none of the ingredients are artificial, so I guess that plays a part in why the food here is so good. It's cheaper, better tasting, and not too far from the dorms."

"I can partially agree with you there, the lack of artificial crap mixed in to 'enhance the flavor' is a benefit. But cheaper doesn't always mean better, sometimes the more expensive dishes are worth the money."

This was all so painstakingly irritating to listen to.

What made it so was that the two were so deep in casual conversation that they hardly noticed much outside of their own little world. That part in itself should not have been so bothersome but it was for several key reasons.

The main reason was because, outside of ITEM, the girls didn't really know how Mugino associated with other people or the topics in which she discussed. When they usually met up it was purely business and the occasional casual subject thrown in here and there. Only when they were out shopping together did Mugino seem to discard work for pleasure and even then she treated it like it was a business.

But in this instance Mugino was completely casual, the subjects innocent in nature, and a stark contrast to how she interacted with the members of their group.

"Maybe sometimes but, then again, I wouldn't know too much about that. So long as it doesn't break my wallet I'm willing to test that theory of yours next time. I mean it is your turn to choose the place anyway."

"Oh? You really think it's smart to say something like that? You do know you'll be putting your precious bank-card at risk over a taste test. What happens if I decide to eat at, say, a five star restaurant?"

Frenda could practically imagine the sweat dripping down the boy's brow at this particular statement. Given his state of dress and overall normal visage, it was safe to assume he could not afford such a thing. Even if he could it would likely be at the cost of all his living expenses just to pay the bill. Not to mention that he would need to dress accordingly for such a lavish establishment; to which he also was unlikely to have access to or the funds to attain.

Such a daunting scenario would have put her in a stressed state as well, so to the mystery boy's credit she didn't think badly of him on the matter.

Then she heard the faint sound of laughter.

"Hehe, you dumb shit, do you really think I'd want to go to some place that's overpriced with small food proportions?" All present in the Stalker Trio booth could picture Mugino smiling in their minds' eye, as well as picture her absentmindedly toying with her hair. "I told you already I'm not picky about what I eat, it doesn't matter to me if it's a five thousand yen or a fifty thousand yen meal, as long as its decent. All I'm saying is that cheaper isn't always better, some expensive places are worth the money, which I'll prove to you next time."

Next time, clearly that meant another 'appointment' between herself and the unknown male she was sharing the evening with. A fact that the girls had already come to expect given how Mugino was acting whilst in the presence of the boy in her company. If it hadn't been clear to them what this 'appointment' really was before then it sure as shit was now.

"...I'm gonna end up broke aren't I?"

"Most likely."

There was a loud 'Thunk!' as something heavy made impact with the table a few booths away. It was hard to tell what had happened or what was said, but the three had their assumptions. But apparently something was said shortly there afterwards as Shizuri's laughter soon followed. It wasn't the malicious or callous sort that the girls of ITEM had come to know and be wary of.

No, this expression of hilarity was a something belonging to a good humored individual and not a monster Level 5 who could blow a man's head clean off with a smile on her face.

"...I still don't know why this is pissing me off but it's getting super worse."

"Basically, I think I'm starting to feel the same way."

Rikou, ever thoughtful and supportive, pushed the basket of french-fries closer towards the two girls silently fuming for reasons they did not know.

Takitsubo was right, both girls later admitted, the fries were good.

* * *

"...Frenda...Saiai..."

Takitsubo could not help but comment as the two individuals were seemingly in the process of trying to burn holes into one of two people with their eyes. Whether or not that it was the boy or the girl to whom the Stalker Trio had been tailing was anyone's guess. It was now 8:28pm, not quite an hour but all the same curfew would be coming into effect within the next hour in a half.

That gave them roughly another half hour to wander around until both had to go their separate ways to avoid any trouble from law enforcement.

That included them as well.

"Basically they're just wondering around at this point."

"Mhm, yup, nothing super special about this evening stroll."

Indeed, there really wasn't much that could be classified as 'special' about this date. Having left the diner the two had taken to the streets once more and were just idly walking around with each other. Avoiding the two as they passed their booth was a bit of a hurdle but again made possible once they took to going under the table and rolling under the seats to avoid being spotted. Only Takitsubo had remained in place at the furthest corner of the booth.

Annoyingly enough that seemed to have worked since she was overlooked by the couple due to her overall lack of presence. At least she didn't get her outfit dirty or receive strange looks from the owners of the place for such childlike behavior.

Saiai also had to hustle the waiter for the check before they could leave, which likely set a bad taste in the mouths of the staff that worked there.

"...basically, Kinuhata, are you—"

"Super pissed? Yes, still super pissed, only now I know why."

"Good, the same goes for me too."

What was the cause behind Kinuhata and Frenda's ire?

The answer was in how the two were conjoined at the moment, with Mugino having wrapped one of her arms around the spiky haired boy's own while casually leaning her head onto his shoulder. Their pace was steady, easily keeping up with the flow of people along the walkway, and most people either got out of their way or were moving to bypass them. It was like the two were making a show of it, letting everyone known that she was with him and he was with her.

Worst of all was that the girls _still did not have a face or a name to attach to the boy Mugino was with!_

It. Was. _Aggravating!_

"Basically, I didn't think there was someone out there that could turn _that_ Mugino into something as docile as a kitten."

"...that's not a nice thing to say Frenda."

To some extent Takitsubo had a fair point and it was wrong to think that there wasn't someone out there the Meltdowner could go all 'dere dere' over. So yes, Rikou was right, she shouldn't have said that about the #4 since it was a widespread belief that there was someone out there for everyone. It was just hard to imagine it, seeing the Level 5 acting like this. She was right there in front of them and she still had a hard time believing it.

"I've got to know who this super boyfriend is before it kills me."

And that was where the source of their ire could be best directed at. Throughout the time they had known the Meltdowner, they hadn't once heard her express any particular preference in regards to boys she found attractive. They assumed that, if such a guidebook did exist, the label of 'needs to be strong' had to be at least somewhere in it. Yet, here she was, with some common looking high-school student who looked no different from any other boy in the crowd.

Excluding the spiky head of hair of course.

That only raised the question as to what was it about him that had drawn their leader to be attracted to him? The had nothing, knew nothing, so the best that they could do was theorize.

"Money isn't really an issue to Mugino, so it can't be that. Plus he basically looks like the type that's barely scraping by."

Up ahead, a certain boy suddenly felt as though someone had run him through with a pike.

"He also doesn't look to be strong to me. He'd be super forgettable if Mugino wasn't clinging to him right now."

Once more did the boy feel as though someone had stabbed him with another Spear of Harsh Truths.

"Hm? You okay?"

"...I feel like I'm being harshly criticized for things beyond my control."

Hearing that, Shizuri seemed to finally take notice of her surroundings and thus shifted her head around to take in everything. When she eventually cast her gaze over her shoulder, nothing was found to be out of the ordinary as people shuffled along behind them. Shortly after her head once more found itself back in its proper place on the boy's shoulder, seemingly satisfied with her perimeter sweep.

Good thing too, people were really starting to wonder what the deal was with the two girls who had abruptly took to cover behind a vending machine. Fortunately Takitsubo's presence went virtually unnoticed once again thanks to having 'disguised' her presence by reading one of the magazines she had picked up earlier.

On that note, did you know that the more casual you seemed the less conspicuous you looked?

"Let 'em talk, let 'em be jealous, I obviously don't give a shit what people think so you shouldn't either."

"It's not so much about that, really it's not, it's just that I'm still not used to gartering so much attention."

While the girls were only able to make out that minimal amount of detail in their discussion, such information was still a benefit for the Stalking Trio. At least now they knew that the two hadn't been dating for an extended period of time. The fact that Mugino had only recently started meeting with him earlier this month served to further prove it. They still didn't have an answer as to how the two had met or how they ended up turning into an item.

"Three months of dating and your still not used to it?" Shizuri had to remove herself from her shoulder pillow to stare wirily at the side of the boy's spiky head. She still didn't unhook her arm from around his own though. These things were duly noted by the girls, but the shock was still present in two of their faces when they realized that their original theory had just been shot down. "I know you're not the type to show off but I'd have thought you'd be more—"

"Um, before you finish that line of thought, I'll have you know this Ka—" Here the boy had been shoulder checked by a pedestrian walking the opposite way, making his body jerk slightly. The Stalking Duo had to refrain from gutting the idiot on the spot for interrupting before they got out a name. " —anyways, what I was trying to say was that I get enough attention at school, specifically my classmates. Once my friends found out they've been doing nothing but pestering me about some pretty stupid things that I'd rather not talk about."

"...what kinda things."

Frenda, Saiai, and Rikou could all see the beginnings of the darkness start to creep onto Mugino's face in that moment. The only person who didn't seem to notice or care was the boy himself, who merely shrugged indifferently.

"It's nothing bad, it's more like them getting a laugh at my expense. It happens a lot more than you think but it's just their way to make my typical misfortune-filled life a bit more embarrassing."

Now the girls had one more reason to be pissed off than they previously did. For it seemed that, while the boy was more open about it, Mugino had not been inclined to give _them_ the details regarding her affair with the still nameless youth. If this too turned out to be another case of false evidence then it was uncertain precisely how two of these girls were going to react.

But that was irrelevant since, back with Mugino, she was still unsatisfied with his answer and it showed since her gaze had yet to wander away from the boy's face.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"...hey, why do you look so upset? You just told me not to worry about what others think, right? Besides, misfortune follows me around like a stray, so I'm used to it at this point."

Here the girl let out a audible 'Tch' before harshly jabbing the boy in the ribs with her elbow. He surely felt it, the grunt of pain was indication enough, but Mugino's head once again found itself back onto his shoulder regardless. And unless the Stalker Trio's eyes had deceived them, the girl's expression appeared to have been set in a state of irritation mixed with displeasure.

"I'll let it slide this time, but I still say you shouldn't have to be used to that sorta thing."

"I know, I know, but there isn't much I can do about it. Besides, um...well, ahem, my misfortune did cause you to meet this Kam—"

Twice.

Twice now did something occur that served as an interruption that prevented the boy from giving them a name. The form it took this time was Mugino herself, who had once again jabbed him in the ribs only this time with her free hand. It may have been a bit harsher than the girl had intended it to be as he did end up coughing and briefly leaned his body to the left.

Frenda and Saiai, however, were glowing with so much feminine rage that they were on the verge of ascending to a higher state of power. What followed after this only added more fuel to the Feminine Flames of Eternal Envy.

"Don't start saying stupid shit like that, it's fucking embarrassing."

Takitsubo, being the only one not fueled by negative emotions, made but one comment that nearly caused her comrades to turn against her.

"...Don't worry, Mugino, I still support you."

* * *

9:30pm was quickly making its approach as the Stalking Duo + One continued to shadow the couple as they made their way towards the student dorms. It wasn't just one building, several of them were scattered about in this area, so it was hard to pinpoint precisely which one they were going to or which one belonged to the boy.

"I can at least walk you to your apartment. Isn't that something I'm supposed to do when escorting a girl home?"

"And I said that you don't need to worry about that sorta thing. Last time you ended up getting chased across the city by a group of punk-asses who wanted your wallet."

There wasn't much student traffic coming through this area thanks to it being close to curfew. Most people would have been at home by this hour and those that weren't were on their way back to the dorms or just rebellious. That left most of the roads in this area vacant barring a few stragglers and some people making a quick run to or from the convenient store.

Overall it was a quiet section of the district, at least as far as settings were concerned, and that was what made it that much easier to make out what was being said. The two were more or less alone as they traversed through the area, but that was if one excluded the Stalking Duo + One.

Speaking of which, with the increased vacancy on the sidewalk, the three girls had taken to being as far back as possible and were dashing behind cover to cover as they progressed. They were still close enough to hear everything, but just the same the three could just as easily be heard by their targets as well.

"I told them I didn't have any money for them to take! It's not my fault they mistook what I said as an invitation for a fight! Anyways, this still feels backwards to me, so can I at least walk you half way?"

"If it bothers you so much, you can wait with me as I call a cab, and no you don't get to pay the fare."

With his efforts to be a gentleman denied, the boy's shoulders sunk as he proceeded to sulk; making the exchange all the more lame. This was all out of context, they still knew next to nothing about the boy, so perhaps it was just them not knowing as much about him as Mugino seemed to know. Irksome as that was considering they have been dating for at least three months now and yet not a single other member of ITEM knew about it.

"Basically, what does she even see in this idiot!"

These words were hissed out even as Frenda was busy grinding her teeth into the fabric of her sleeve.

"I dunno, but I'm not leaving 'til get a super name from this guy."

Kinuhata was no better, the harsh whisper escaping as she continued and the blonde continued to glare at the couple from afar.

"...it's not good to grind your teeth like that."

"Quiet you!"

Takitsubo could only tilt her head cutely at her two companion's increased hostility. They didn't even give her the courtesy of saying it directly at her, having placed all of their focus on the couple as they rounded the corner.

The Stalking Duo wasted little time in moving up from their previous cover and just as quick in approaching the corner the aforementioned couple had turned on. When the two peaked passed to track the distance between them and their target the two froze. Takitsubo, being the + One, was the last to arrive on the scene and also peered down the narrow street. She too was left frozen, not out of fear, but for a completely different reason entirely.

Now she understood her why Frenda and Saiai were frozen stiff. Because in the time the three took to catch up, Mugino had decided to let her impulses take over. That was what they could assume anyway as it was the boy's back who was pressed against the wall while her lips were clashing against the boy's own. It made perfect sense to choose this place actually, the dim lighting between the main and back streets allowed for a bit more privacy thanks to the veil of darkness that surrounded them.

Since they were at about the half-way point that separated the narrow street from the main roads, the Stalking Duo + One could not make out much more than their silhouettes.

They could see that Muigno's arms were crossed behind his neck as she tried to press as much of her body against him as she could. The boy himself was far from against it as one of his hands could be found on the girl's waste while the other slowly worked its way up along her side. Again, they couldn't see too well thanks to the lack of light, so they couldn't tell whether or not this session of mild intimacy was safe for them to be intruding on.

Such a thing answered itself when one of Shizuri's arms had moved itself from behind his neck. Taking the hand traveling up her side, she brought back down to waist level before raising it back up and under the hem of her violet dress.

This act inflicted some form of panic because the boy backed off a bit from the action. Shizuri wasn't having it and was seemingly providing approval by pushing her lips back against his so he that couldn't speak against her. From there she guided his hand further up, let him feel the exposed flesh underneath her clothes, before removing her hand to have it return to its original placement.

Normally this would have been a dangerous sight to stumble upon. But the girls of already knew that Muigno was wearing shorts underneath her dress today. So there was no danger of indecent exposure to be had here.

As for the boy, after being given her consent, took to exploring the new lands that were previously hidden beneath the surface. They could see the outline of the #4's dress bulging as his hand slowly traversed along the soft pale flesh beneath the fabric above. They watched as it slowly raised along her side, over her ribs, up to the certain strap used to secure something, then make its decent back down. But it did not traverse down the same path, rather it moved to her back and appeared to be following the path of her spinal cord.

It came to a stop at the small of the girl's back, which is where it proceeded to stay for the time being. Throughout it all not once during this did his lips or tongue cease in activity as they clashed together with the beautiful young woman.

Soon, however, the idle hand joined its brother in feeling the smooth texture of the woman's skin as it moved along her body.

By this point Saiai and Frenda were too captivated to notice that the pace of their breathing had started to increase. They were, however, well aware of the fact that their faces were burning from embarrassment. This time Rikou was guilty of being no better than them. She too felt the burning on her cheeks yet, by comparison, she was still far more composed than the other two.

When the couples' lips finally parted from one another, all that could be heard was the ragged breathing of two out of breath teens. That did not mean that the boy's hands had left the confines of her dress but they did lower back down to her waist in the meantime. But just when things appeared to be calming down, the spiky haired teen moved his position abruptly, which erected a startled yelp from the Level 5 as she quickly realized that the tables had turned.

It was her now with her back to the wall and it was at this point that the Meltdowner's lover went into action himself. Pulling her closer towards him by the waist, the teen's lips met her's once more, whilst the girl began to comb her hand through his spiky hair. The other soon re positioned itself as well as she dragged her fingers down along his school uniform before finding reaching the bottom and slipping it underneath his shirt.

Obviously this heated and heavy display of affection was not something suitable for the general public. Even in the darkness, even in this dimly lit area, one could clearly see flesh getting exposed as the two's hands moved aimlessly. Having said that, by most people's standards, it would have been appropriate to allow the two their privacy. Most people would have already vacated the area to do that so as to avoid any awkward confrontations or unintentional disturbances.

Then you have the assholes would tell the two to get a room and thankfully such a person was not here. If such a person was there and brave enough, or stupid, to say that he or she would surely come to regret it.

Frenda and Saiai could be mistaken to not be like most people and viewed as being the types to care little about the usual norms and customs. The truth of the matter was that they simply forgot themselves in the heat of the moment. But it was hard not to be absorbed by such a sight and that went double when said sight was focused around the personal life of ITEM's leader. It was like a moth to the flame, the bigger the fire the more that were attracted to it.

Sadly, as the male teen had previously admitted, misfortune followed him like a stray animal.

The light hum coming from the vibrations of a cell phone normally would not have given away one's position. Normally anyway, but the streets were dead and it wasn't like there was much noise being created elsewhere, so the disturbance was distinct enough to hear. Anyone who heard it would know what it was and it is for that reason that both Mugino and her date suddenly stopped all activities to find the source of it. And between the two of them, although both were flustered, one was not too pleased with this disturbance.

"You super didn't turn off your phone!?"

"B-basically, I have to keep it on, my sister has a habit to call me when she's scared!"

It sure as shit didn't help that the two teens could hear the broken hushed words coming from around the corner.

"...heh."

"Oh no."

Hard as it was to tell, but one didn't need to see his face to know that his complexion had paled considerably.

"Hehehehehe."

"S-Shizuri, hey now, just breathe and stay calm! There's no reason to get overly upset about it, al-alright!?"

It was at this moment that he knew that, whoever it was around the corner, was completely and utterly screwed.

It was at this moment that the Stalker Duo + One also knew that they were completely and utterly screwed.

"Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe-"

"Oi, whoever you are, run! Run for your life!"

And that was precisely what they proceeded to do.

No longer having been forced to rely on cover meant they could freely move and traverse at a speed that would ensure their own survival. It was still unknown whether or not Mugino knew who it was that had been eavesdropping on their moment of intimacy. But all the same it didn't matter since, one way or another, they would eventually have to meet with her again for the briefing of their next job.

That said, if she didn't know it was them, then they could not allow themselves to be caught here and risk losing a limb or three to an irate Level 5.

Speaking of which.

"I swear to whatever god exists I will turn you into fucking paste! Do you hear me you pieces of shit!? When I'm done with you they'll be able to fit what's left of your corpse into _a fucking can!_ "

"Shizuri, calm down! This Kamijou really doesn't want to have either an Anti-Skill officer or a noise complaint brought up to his door!"

Kamijou Touma, a Level 0, was on the verge of perhaps losing a few limbs himself tonight. As he was currently in the process of trying to restrain the violently thrashing woman by means of a full nelson hold. To some degree it was working, but that didn't stop her from trying as her unyielding rage made for an impressive muscle enhancer.

* * *

Hello boys, I'm _baaaaaaaaaack_ ~!

I wrote this purely for the sake of seeing if I've still got it. I'd like to think that I do and I'd like to think that I was able to convey Mugino in a believable way to make it feel less OOC. I may have achieved that here, I might not have, so here's hoping that those of you reading this can let me know if I pulled it off as well as I hoped. Depending on how this turns out, I may add more chapters to this. I'm not sure, it might make for a good remedy whenever I have writers block, so we'll see.

On another note, I want to say that my little *ahem* make-out scene here may not have been too impressive. Its a field I'm not particularly skilled at, mainly due to a lack of practice in writing out scenes of its nature. I'm not one to write lemons, mainly because I never get that far and have no actual want to write them. So, um, I guess it counts as an experiment for me. If any of you romance writers out there see this, throw me your thoughts and maybe a few pointers here and there.

Lately, and most importantly, my current status. Yes I'm not dead and neither is A Certain World of Darkness. I'm not done, I'm not out, and my return is coming. I have a lot of new material in the works, lots of stuff planned out, and hopefully I can get back to work on the next chapter soon. I promise nothing in regards to when an update will happen. I say that only because I want there to be a lot of content waiting in reserve so that, when I reach certain points, I don't get struck with writers block again. I have a lot to make up and a lot to apologize for, this I know, but I do swear to update that story in the days to come.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	2. 2nd Appointment

Greetings to all!

If were expecting something witty to be written up here then, tragically, you were wrong.

Enjoy the Touma/Mugino pairing!

* * *

In most instances in one's routine life there are occurrences that we, as individuals, come to consider as being ordinary.

For example, a woman wearing a suit and a lab coat out for a jog with her golden retriever could be considered to be normal. Initially yes, it was strange, but eventually it would cease to be viewed in that light and thus 'normal' in the eyes of others. Odd as the sight was, if it was consistent enough then most would not judge it as being anything out of the ordinary.

"I'm heading out, I don't know how long the analysis will take, so don't bother waiting up."

Which was why Mugino didn't even give the girls situated in the living area a second glance as she made her departure. Said girls were currently doing their own things as they lounged around, from reading magazines and watching the television to just loitering around on the sofa. It was mid-afternoon on a Sunday, with no jobs and no wants or worries to be concerned about. So they took to just being lazy and enjoy the rest of their free time relaxing in the comforts of their shared home. The only person who had any work left to do today was Mugino and that must have been more like a chore than actual work.

"Basically, do want us to save you something for dinner?"

But Frenda's words fell upon deaf ears as the resonating sound of the door shutting reached all of those present in the apartment. Such a reaction, or lack of response in this case, was part of their norm when it came to associating with Mugino on a daily basis. What was not part of the norm, however, was the excuse in which the Level 5 provided just now. Level 5 espers did have unique facilities that were built for and exclusively used by said espers for the sake research and analysis on them. Nobody else had access to those facilities and because of that, at some unspecified time, those facilities would contact the Meltdowner for the sake of testing.

The girl in question hardly ever bothered to answer these summons, having cited them as being a waste of her time. Only after their liaison's consistent pestering would the #4 finally answer the call and begrudgingly participate in the examination.

Such details were not too important when viewed in a short-term perspective.

"...twelve meters and gaining distance..."

But such details in the long-term?

"Basically, that should be enough."

They were essential.

"Alright, let's go ahead and get the super ball rolling."

Whatever was being done prior to that moment was no longer the subject of their individual concerns. Frenda practically shot up off the sofa and vaulted over the furniture towards the door whilst Kinuhata carelessly thrown her magazine to the floor to do the same. Rikou was the only sensible person in the room who appeared to be in no substantial hurry. Despite how her compatriots were basically clawing their way in their rush towards the door, the tracker of their little group had caught up with the two even while moving at such a casual pace.

It was a mystery in itself whether that was a good or a bad thing, but she would like to believe it was relative all the same.

"We got lucky last time, but that could just mean that she's gonna be super cautious." Based on the way Kinuhata was speaking, someone from the same walk of life as them would think they were about to step into enemy territory. In some ways they kinda were. "With that in mind, before we get moving, turn your phone off Frenda."

"Basically, I know, you don't have to single me out Kinuhata!"

The retort made by the blonde sounded like something coming from a whiny child being scolded rather than a professional killer. Especially so when she was currently hopping in place as she tried to put on her other shoe. While the two others rushed to retrieve their footwear, Rikou's pace was smooth and steady. Case in point, much like the case with the rabbit and the tortuous, she turned out to be waiting on them despite arriving to the door last.

Takitsubo chalked it up to their excitement; although that term was probably a poor choice of words.

"Are you two ready?"

Then again it was hard for those two girls to be as motivated as they were right now regarding trivial matters like these.

"Basically, I'm ready when you are."

But this matter could hardly be considered trivial based on who it was centered around.

"...mhm..."

For this was a matter that revolved around certain Meltdowner and the secret which she had kept hidden from ITEM. A secret that shocked, irritated, and baffled most of those who were involved in this little extracurricular activity that they were undertaking. The secret that they would not have believed if they had not seen it with their own eyes. A secret enticing enough to make the two young women misplace their proper judgment and turn to shamelessly stalking her during her off-duty activities. Such a drive was what made them bold enough to turn the knob and take that first step forward in spite of the dangers.

For this escapade revolved around a certain Meltdowner's secret love-life and the mysterious lover who somehow conquered her heart.

Uncovering such a secret was worth prying into, worth the risk, and was maybe even (but not really) worth dying over. At least that stood to be the case for two among the trio of young ladies. One among them was severely lacking in enthusiasm by comparison to the those who had it in excess. Likely because that person had already accepted their role as the third wheel, so to speak, for this little adventure.

Why Rikou didn't express any complaints about being placed into such a position was unknown.

Perhaps there was a reason, a deep one at that, which she did not feel obligated to share.

Sadly that was a matter that was meant to remain unexplored.

* * *

When the Stalker Duo + One had initially left the apartment, they didn't have any idea what to expect as they tailed their target. It was Sunday, mid-afternoon, and the bright outdoors were growing increasingly more humid as the summer season gradually grew closer. Give or take a month and temperatures would rise to a degree that many would soon find to be unbearable. Not that the students seemed to mind since the ideal weather conditions made for a great opportunity enjoy some time outdoors.

Neither blistering hot or frigidly cold; the perfect setting for a date.

"...basically, who's still in school on a Sunday?"

A good question considering today was a student's break from classes. Granted that didn't apply to places like prep schools and maybe some private ones but that obviously wasn't the case here.

"Teachers, the principle, the janitors; generally the adults who take their jobs super seriously."

Based on exterior appearances, the school building looked as ordinary as any other. One could turn ninety degrees walk straight and find a school just like this one within five minutes of walking.

"Don't be a smartass, you know what I meant by that Kinuhata."

"You mean in the 'why is Mugino's boyfriend still taking classes on his day off' sorta way? I dunno, it could be anything for all we know; it might be because his grades super suck."

As far as distance went, the Stalking Duo + One had chosen to remain as far away from the woman as possible. Considering the path leading up to the school building was wide and currently lacking in population density, this option was a wise decision. If any of them made an approach then their target would have no trouble in spotting them almost immediately. To avoid this Frenda and her compatriots sought refuge near the parking deck sitting at the edge of the school grounds. The cover the building provided was beneficial for the time being but, in the same vein, it was also detrimental to them as well.

They could see her, but any form of interaction she had at this point was beyond their ability to hear.

"Basically that doesn't make much sense; you'd think Mugino would be interested in someone more in her league." Frenda, noting Kinuhata's skeptical gaze, mulled over her choice of words and made a point to elaborate. "True, it would be a stretch for someone to match her stats given her rank as a Level 5. So basically, if he couldn't match her in terms of strength, he should be close or equal to her in terms of intelligence."

"...that doesn't really matter...I think..."

This time it was Frenda and Saiai's turn to shoot the disinterested Rikou an inquisitive a glance. If they were expecting her to elaborate then they were tragically mistaken as she did not give one. Instead she remained where she was, sitting with her back to the wall, and staring down the wide street facing away from the school. Complements needed to be given to Takitsubo for flawlessly demonstrating what an abundance of 'not giving a damn' looked like. Since they clearly were not going to be getting much else out of her, the Stalking Duo returned their attention to the front entrance.

"She could be right."

Rikou may not have been willing to explain her reasoning but Saiai still took what was said into account as she formulated her own theories. Said theories were put on hold when she and her partner noted two figures descending the steps leading to the main entrance. Mugino was not among the two, she was at the base of the steps in wait for her lover's arrival. And although one of them was easily recognizable, solely due to his hairstyle, the other figure had admittedly caught the two distant observers off guard.

"A super pre-schooler?"

"Basically, she looks about the same age as my sister."

Again, although they couldn't hear jack from this distance, they could interpret things as they played out based on body-language. This time it was Mugino who had her back to them and appeared to be greeting the two if her raised hand was of any indication. The boy, it seemed, was faster in responding to said salutation as he mirrored her action with the pre-schooler girl doing the same shortly thereafter. The latter of the two seemed to say something, her head craning to look up at the teen beside her who promptly deflated a bit. Something demeaning must have been said here to which was dismissed by the #4 indicated by the shooing motion of her hand.

The Stalking Duo knew that they could not afford to keep themselves exposed for an extended period of time like this. But now that all eyes were elsewhere they were willing to risk the exposure even if the opposing trio was closing the gap between them.

With the formalities done and the three now on the wide red road, the Meltdowner took her spot at his right side as they continued walking. The pre-school girl had to continue looking up at them to maintain eye contact but all the same had a certain liveliness to her as she spoke. Seemed whatever she said had an adverse affect on the boy since he became increasingly less lively by the second. Now that Mugino's front profile was facing them, they could see how she looked mildly annoyed as she jabbed him in the ribs, which served to make the boy straighten up.

Despite the soft-reset upon being struck, the teen's attention became focused on the woman beside him. It was not a fleeting glance, he held it for a good couple seconds just as she held her own before eventually braking eye contact. When they did, both girls took note of the increased enthusiasm present in the boy's expression compared to before. They also took notice to the small smile playing on his lips as he responded to the small girl on his left. What served to be paramount here was the red dusted cheeks present on the Meltdowner's features as she twirled her hair around her finger.

Whatever he was saying was turning the #4 into a blushing wreck and it was progressively getting worse.

"..."

"..."

Takitsubo, having not heard anything from the two in the past couple moments, glanced over to ascertain Frenda and Saiai's current mental status.

She was not in the least bit surprised to see their deadpan expressions or their dead fish eyes.

...and somehow, despite these traits, Rikou considered it to be an improvement.

* * *

"—your teacher think I'll magically make you smarter?"

"Don't ask me, it's not like I don't want to do well in class, but...well you know how it is with me."

It took a bit of time for the two girls to properly recover from the shock of seeing _that_ Mugino in such a state. The Frenda and Saiai were so emotionally numb that they had nearly been discovered by the very people they were pursuing. It was only by the grace of the divine that Third Wheel Rikou was there to pull the two back into cover. What had been the Stalking Duo + One had briefly turned into the Thousand Yard Trio as all three of them gazed out into a world only they could see. It was actually a key reason why they went unnoticed as the other trio passed them by. No emotion made for a lack of presence and Rikou had unknowingly divulged the secret to her presence-erasing technique.

Too bad Kinuhata and Frenda neglected to take notes.

Once they had gotten over their little stupor it was back to business. Since the couple had a considerable head start it meant that they had to put an equal amount of leg-work in order to catch up. Ascertaining their location would have been difficult had they not caught up with them in time. If they had been a few paces too late they would not have caught them as they assimilated into the crowd of students flooding the pedestrian walkways. It was Sunday after all, so there were many various sized groups of friends roaming about as they sought to find a source of entertainment to enjoy.

The couple didn't remain in said crowd for very long as they soon after came to a stop a couple blocks later. They had chosen to enjoy the ideal weather on a bench outside of the park and across the street from the local cafe; after, of course, retrieving their own choice of beverage moments prior. The influx of student traffic was minimal, not as staggering as the crowd before, but still enough to classify it as bustling. Mugino didn't seem to care, having scooted herself fairly close to the boy on the bench to the point that her leg was flush with his. And while there was a hint of reservation in his actions, the teen was relaxed enough to rest his arm on the back of the bench right around where her shoulders were located.

As for the Stalking Duo + One, they were in the most dangerous position possible: inside the park.

Specifically they were in the area that was _right behind the bench the couple were sitting at._

Their only source of cover was a waist high wall of concrete used to plant shrubbery and the shrubbery itself. Sure, on paper is sounds ideal, but all the couple had to do was stand up and the three ladies would be seen immediately. Unsurprisingly the saying 'no risk no gain' came to mind at some point and two of the girls would have felt inclined to disagree with whoever said that. On the plus side the girls were not out of place sitting there. There were others around who were also using this particular area to sit and lounge around so at least nobody was giving them odd looks in passing.

"So you say but it still sounds like an excuse to me. If I hadn't seen how shitty your luck is for myself, I'd think you were perpetually lazy."

"Sounds like you and Fukiyose would get along great if that wasn't the case."

"Fukiyose, Fukiyose...which one was she again?" Evidently she knew at least some of her lover's associates, albeit to some lesser degree since she was clearly having trouble remembering them. Now it was the matter of whether she had met them in person or not which needed to be answered. "...hold on, isn't she that one girl in your class with black hair and the huge—"

"Forehead!" His interjection here had been panicked and fast, very fast. It made the girl's behind him curious as to why such a hasty response was given. "Ah, I-I mean yeah, Fukiyose Seiri is the same person you're thinking of...probably."

The Stalking Duo had no way of knowing what was going on between the two courtesy of a pesky plant blocking their line of sight. Had they been able, they would have seen Mugino was giving the boy beside her a very long and flat stare at the moment. She stared harder when she noticed that he became less and less at ease the longer she held her gaze.

"...you thought I was gonna say 'boobs' just now, didn't you?"

Kamijou turned his head away from her _veeeeery_ slowly after this; which was essentially an admittance of guilt. Again, the Stalking Duo couldn't see it, but in a way they didn't need to. The three young ladies could practically see her mean mugging the guy something fierce right now in their mind's eye. Such a mental image actually brought on a few needed smiles to the girl's faces as they imagined it.

"T-to clarify, I assumed you were going to say breasts not boobs. So, if we're going by technicality, then this Kamijou is innocent."

"Breasts, boobs, tits, it doesn't matter how you say it, they're all the fucking same."

"Why do you sound so annoyed all of a sudden!? I'd understand if you were suffering from breast envy but you've got...ah...um, a good thing going for you."

Smooth.

A very charming and smooth save Kamijou.

Said not a single person who was keeping up with this conversation. Honestly all this talk about boo—er _breasts_ had started to grate on the nerves of those listening. In fact one of the girl's had taken a moment to glance down at her minimal bust with a mild sense of disappointment. She then proceeded to mutter incoherently to herself with words like 'figure', 'proportions', and 'better' occasionally cropping up.

"Well, would look at that, seems _someone's_ been paying a little extra attention to my chest lately."

"Hard not to when those squishy hills of yours are being pressed up against me so much as of late!"

B-bold!

That was way too bold Kamijou!

And what was with that overtly self-protective sounding response!?

"...I was only joking you know." Her exasperated tone, however, made it clear that she did not approve of his latest statement. "You don't need to get all defensive over something so stupid in the first place. It's not like I'm not going to bash your head in for stealing glances every so often."

"S-sorry, it's become a force of habit for me given my circumstances." What the spiky haired boy was implying here was beyond the Stalking Duo's ability to understand. Never the less he did sound apologetic for his previous response to the jest. "I didn't mean it to come out that way, although to be honest I don't dislike it whenev—er...y-you get it. Nevertheless, even after all this time, I still can't stop myself from tensing up and expecting the worst. Again, I'm sorry about that, eventually I'll get used to it and that little defensive habit of mine will go away."

What had he done in his life to develop such a defense mechanism?

While they didn't know that answer it did lead them to develop a strong urge to keep him as far away from their person as possible.

Discarding that for the time being, Frenda and the other's thoughts unsurprisingly shifted back to last time. Specifically to the night on that particular back street where the lights did not reach them. He talked like he was afraid of making physical contact with Mugino out fear of some physical rebuke. Eventually it would go away, so he said, but that did not stop him back then from responding accordingly to Mugino's actions. Neither she or the others saw too much reservation that in the brief, and interrupted, moment of mild intimacy between them then. There was some, sure, but it did little to deter him at the time. By her standards Kamijou was acting very much like what you would expect to find in a couple in their private moments.

Not that there was anything wrong with that because there wasn't; it was completely normal and expected. Granted it was quite possible that his cardinal instincts had kicked in and took over for him. That had to be the case, without question that had to be it. There was no way someone as...reserved, for lack of better term, as he was could become that assertive so suddenly.

"Relax, don't get all bent out of shape over it, its fine." Mugino's assurance here was accompanied by a creaking sound from the bench due to a shift in weight. "Remember, we've been testing the waters for a while now and we've reached the point that we're mostly comfortable. I get that there're some things we still need to get used to. Neither of us have a backlog of experience under our belts either. But it was your idea to be more open with each other so we could avoid all that awkwardness. If I'm doing something you don't like then man up and tell me instead of pussyfooting around the issue. You sure as shit know I'll speak my mind if there's something you do that I don't like."

"Is that so? Okay then, if that's the case, can you stop cussing?"

"Smartass." Within her mind's eye Kinuhata could picture the Meltdowner giving Kamijou a fond and amused smile as she said that. "The point that I'm trying to make here is that we're progressing at a good pace in the right direction. So it's okay to be a bit bolder every now and then, in fact I welcome it. I'm not saying you should fondle my tits or grope my butt abruptly in public or anything. I'd kill you if you ever tried doing that anywhere that wasn't private. But, all-in-all, I was pleasantly surprised to hear you openly admit to admiring parts of my anatomy."

Now _this_ was the sort of information that made the risk all the more rewarding. The Stalking Duo + One had gained a mild case of satisfaction from uncovering the boys name. Initially that much information would have satisfied their curiosity for the better part of an hour. Although it would not have made this whole experience worth it, but beggars' couldn't be choosers. What they had heard just now was where the real meat of this whole experience was.

Three months may sound like a long time but that was based on consecutive days. They didn't go to the same school and with Mugino having 'other' activities in the evening meant there was a limited window of opportunity for the two to see each other. Following that logic the question that needed to be asked was how many times did the two meet on a weekly basis? Going with the assumption of once, maybe twice a week, and you barely come up short of a full month of total time spent together. That wasn't taking into account things like phone calls and text messages, only face-to-face interaction was to be counted.

Going by all of that, then yes it made sense as to why they were still testing waters. Assuming all of this was true, then what happened last time may have been a conscious effort on Mugino's part to tread into the deeper depths. Logically it made sense, take a risk to see how far things go and stopping when it exceeded certain boundaries. Like stress-testing a machine or vehicle to determine its limitations. When put together in that sort of way it actually sounded like something the Meltdowner would do; thus making the conclusion much more credible.

In basic terms they learned two critical factors thus far.

They were still in the adjustment period of their relationship and that neither were experienced in the romance department. Those things addressed the questions of how far in their relationship they were and if this was their first official attempt at pursuing romance. While this surely was not to be the end of their inquiries, the Stalking Duo + One could relish in the fact that they had gained something from all of this.

"...quick question: Was that just a long winded version of you saying 'thanks for complementing my body dipshit' or something close to that effect?"

And just like that the sense of satisfaction was gone.

"Hoho, that teacher of yours might be onto something, you _are_ getting sharper."

Now they were back to square one i.e. being annoyed by the couple's banter.

* * *

Following conversation at the park, the two eventually vacated the area in the pursuit of enjoying their date elsewhere. With this change came the movement of the Stalking Duo + One as they did their best to stay within a certain proximity to the couple. Said couple did not leave District 7, which was fortunate since that would have made it more difficult to tail them without being noticed. Their destination was not restricted to only one place, many places were visited and most of them had one basic quality about them. They were designed to be fun locations, that was their theme, and the two indulged on that theme for all it was worth.

Bowling alleys, batting cages, even an arcade was visited during the course of the day. Most of which were all situated within the general region of one another. The bowling alley had been the place they primarily spent the majority of their time. This stemmed into their time spent at the mini-arcade that was set up inside. Frenda and the others did have access to all of this just as well as every other person. Problem was, while they could engage in the same activities, they ran the risk of being caught by their targets if they did. Similarly, if they didn't participate, they ran the risk of standing out and thus also alerting the couple to their presence.

Bad options, few alternatives, and under threat of being kicked out for loitering the three had to leave. True as it was that they couldn't get close to the Meltdowner, they had managed to see enough from the sidelines. On that note, the Stalking Duo + One were not surprised to discover that Mugino sucked at both arcade games and in the batting cages. Kamijou wasn't much better in the latter but was much better at the former. Shizuri, however, was _really_ good at bowling which could be counted as a new miscellaneous bit of information they learned about the #4.

The things you learn.

Speaking of learning, that wasn't all they had come to gather prior to vacating the scene. Turns out that Mugino acted quite different when she was with that Kamijou fellow.

In all the time that they spent with her, none of these girls saw her take interest in things like these. Arcade games, bowling, neither of those things perked her interest nor did they believe those would strike her with any semblance of enjoyment. Yet, from their side-long glances, they saw her express a variety of positive emotions that that had otherwise gone unseen by them. Sure she would grow angry or annoyed to Kamijou's taunts and express dejection or disapproval if she lost or was losing. Yet she laughed, smiled, gloated, and celebrated her victories without any malice underlining these actions.

Mugino was having the time of her life in the same way any normal girl would be in her shoes.

None of this should have come as a surprise since it wasn't like she never expressed those emotions around them. Rather than that it was the activities that caused those emotions to surface which really struck a chord in them. Similar to how a child grows envious about the toy another child was playing with. It didn't matter if it was the same exact thing with different paint. The fact someone else was playing with it made them want to do the same. In other words they wanted in on the fun and games too despite knowing that they couldn't.

"You know what, I'm starting to super hate my own curiosity."

And that caused some internal bitterness that had been swelling up inside the Stalking Duo to come spilling out.

"Good, you should be. Basically I've been pinning all of my internal aggression on you for peer-pressuring me into this."

To make it worse, without anyone else but themselves to vent to, the over-spill fell onto their little group.

"That's bullshit, you're old enough to make your own decisions, so don't blame me for being super curious too."

"Don't try to feed me that crap, Kinuhata!" It was a good thing there were plenty of common folk bustling about in this particular area of the district. Frenda's loud rebuttal would have caught a lot of attention if it was not drowned out by the collective mass of students surrounding the three of them. "I won't say that I wasn't curious, but basically, I wanted to stay out of it! It was you who decided to tack on the idea that this could be about some secret boyfriend to goad me into coming along!"

"If that's true then me peppering in that line shouldn't have had such a super effect on you."

That particularly smug retort was dangerously close to being the straw that broke the camel's back. Evident by the fact that Frenda looked like she was on the verge of throwing down with the Dark May Survivor right then and there. Not that Kinuhata had any objections based on how her visage took on a confident, yet challenging, posture upon locking eyes with the blonde. Anything the other said at this point would set them off and for the second time that day they had forgotten their original objective. That was the state in which they were in and how frustrating things had become from eavesdropping on Mugino and Kamijou from afar.

All it would take was one word and the Stalking Duo + One would disband due to internal conflict.

"...please don't fight..."

Unfortunately Takitsubo decided to interject before any subsequent hair-pulling, clothes tearing, female-on-female action could take place.

Such misfortune.

Two simultaneous 'hmph's followed suit of this action as both parties turned away from one another. Rikou, lost at who to try and support, abstained from going to either girl and instead moved to towards the vending machine less than four feet away from them. She understood that they were frustrated, truly she did. Although it didn't show on her face but Takitsubo was not enjoying this any more than they were. Frankly speaking the girls should have anticipated this sort of thing the moment they decided to snoop into the Meltdowner's private affairs. By all accounts Frenda was right to believe that they should have all stayed out of it and left the matter alone.

Friends don't spy on their friends and that was especially so when it concerned matters of personal importance.

"You know, even if I said that was against it, basically I don't regret it." Frenda's abrupt start of a conversation did the job at breaking the ice. Indicated by the sudden interest that was gartered by both girl's as the canned beverage came clattering down the dispenser. "It's been weird seeing Mugino act like this and all. Basically, as irritating as it is, I can't say that I don't mind seeing her act differently from the Level 5 we've come to know."

Takitsubo was the one who was most surprised by this, even if said surprise didn't show on her face.

Kinuhata, on the other hand, grinned triumphantly whilst puffing her non-existent chest out.

"Heh, I told you it'd be super worth it didn't I?"

"...you didn't say that Kinuhata...I think."

At least Takitsubo was keeping track of what was and wasn't being said...mostly anyway.

"Mah, well, that's beside the point." Don't you dare dismiss Rikou calling out your bullshit so casually, Kinuhata. "Weird and irritating as it is, I'm super glad we're getting to see this side of Mugino out in the open."

Indeed, it truly was a refreshing and overall appealing side to the girl who was otherwise a monster in the Dark Side of Academy City. Friedrich Nietzsche had famously said: 'He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.'. To those who belonged to that dark world that most did not know, then they likely laughed at this quote. Not because it was foolish or incorrect. Quite the opposite, actually, most laugh out of irony and how it was so tragically accurate. Such a world turned girls like them into monsters who's laughter held no joy or life within it.

Cruel as that world was, as they had come to know it, there was the hope that someday they could leave that place. Mugino had been in it longer than all of them and thus she deserved a taste of the life she wanted but could never have. There was nothing wrong with being selfish, not in the eyes of these girls. They had seen what real selfishness looked like and what they saw from her was not that. It was indulgence, soaking up every moment for all it was worth before it could be taken from her. Within the next minute to the next month, nothing was promised and lives could be taken with but a single phone call.

That was why, despite what Rikou initially believed, Frenda and Kinuhata were genuinely glad to see this side of Mugino Shizuri.

No jokes.

No jealousy.

Just authentic pleasure in seeing the #4 making the most of her happiness.

"Basically, I'm sorry, but still can't get over her poor taste in men."

Way to ruin the deep narrative Fre nda.

"It's alright, I know what you mean, its super bothersome to me too."

Oi, do you want there to be a space in-between your name too, Kinuhata?

* * *

Nightfall was approaching by the time the two lovers finally decided to call it a day from the festivities.

Eventful and likely an expensive outing, but nonetheless not a boring way to spend the day without classes. At least for those two, the Stalking Trio had to endure missing out on all the fun and games for the sake of sta— _observing_. Such is the price one pays for the sake of appeasing one's curiosity. As things currently stood the two were moving along at a leisure pace in the same posture that was rapidly becoming the new norm for these two. Mugino present on Kamijou's right, her arm wrapped around his own and her head resting on his shoulder. All that tarnished this image was the almost unnoticeable stiffness in the spiky haired boy's posture as they walked.

Determining the cause of this strange behavior was difficult to discern due to their position behind them. Yet, if the Stalking Trio had to guess, it was likely that it was Mugino's doing that served as the cause behind this odd behavior. Speculation amongst themselves led to the belief that the Level 5 might have been pressing his arm between the sacred valley of her chest right now. If their speculation was true then it was likely for the sake of either teasing or helping him based on their conversation earlier in the day.

It could have been a little bit of both but the initial motivation remained difficult to determine.

"Hey, Kamijou."

"Hm?"

Most of the large crowds that were predominant earlier in the day had lessened by this point. What that meant was that there wasn't a large abundance of people roaming about in large groups and instead the walkways relatively thin. It wasn't packed, it wasn't vacant, so the best way to describe it was something in-between those two. So when the two gradually slowed their pace to a crawl neither had to worry about impeding on the flow of student traffic as much as they would at any other time. Good for them, bad for the Stalking Trio since they could not rely on the cover from the crowds to keep them out of sight.

To that end, thank god for vending machines, signs, staircases, and alleyways.

"...I...shit, this is much harder to say than I thought." Following that statement came the brief but dry laugher from the girl's lips. An effort to drive back the sense of unease she must have been feeling no doubt. "I'm...glad we, well you know, were able to do this today. I don't usually do this sorta thing and I'll admit I had a lot of fun. It's just, most of the time, its late and we don't get to hang out for very long or do anything remotely like this."

Ah, yes, the issue of an open timeslot due to her work as an active member of ITEM. Unsurprising that such a lifestyle would impede on her social life and whatever plans Shizuri may have made in the past. At the very least it explained why she was so adamant about going to those 'appointments' back before they knew of what was really going on.

"So, again, I'm glad we could actually go out and...being able to be us for a whole day."

"Being us, huh?" Repeated the spiky haired youth, amusement as well as nervousness evident in his tone as his free hand raised up so as to scratch at his cheek. "I, ah, I can understand why that may have been a hard thing for you to say."

"Don't make me say it twice, asshole. You should know by now that I hate that sappy, soap-opera, bullshit."

"And hearing you put it that way makes it sound like we don't see each other all that much."

"Not enough would be the more accurate way of putting it."

"Still, though, I enjoyed those times just as much as I enjoyed today Shizuri." Kamijou said this whilst easing his arm out of her hold solely so as to bring it over her shoulders and pull closer. "Your right, those times are short, and it's because they're short that I get to savor every second of it to the fullest. This Kamijou is cursed with misfortune, that's no secret to you or anyone who knows me. But its moments like these, regardless of how short or long they last, that I've come to see them as being my just deserts. This...us being able to be us...it makes all those times I suffered from misfortune worth it in the end."

...okay, seriously, how bad was that Kamijou's misfortune?

Such a thought was what ran through the minds of two who were listening in with rapt attention. Albeit, even as they asked themselves this question, both were quite invested in listening to every word. Hardened killers as they were, one must not forget that these ladies were human. They were still capable of feeling emotion as well as expressing them to others. Their work may dictate a lot of things and perhaps even dulled those same emotions, but the fact remained that they were still human. All of that being said the Stalking Trio could hear the genuine nature of those words as well as their sincerity.

He truly meant every word.

Those naive, clumsy yet dearly meant words were all very real.

"...tissue?"

"Basically, I'm fine."

"I'm super good here too."

Yes, they were fine, the sappiness of the statement did not induce tears in any of the ladies. As that may be, Frenda and Saiai did feel their respected hearts flutter for approximately two seconds after hearing it; give or take another second or two. Not only that, they also gained a bit of insight into why Mugino had picked the spiky haired teen over most others. Normal as he seemed to be, he had way with words if their own reaction to them was of indication. Christ he wasn't even talking _to_ _them_ and they were slightly moved by what he had to say. Given how differently Mugino acted around him and they could guess that her insides must have been turned to mush by now.

"...tch, asshole." Well, to be fair, Mugino wasn't your traditional maiden in love. So it should have been expected that her reaction would vary compared to what was considered a common-place scenario. "I told you that I hate that sappy, soap-opera, bullshit and what do you do? You give me exactly that _and_ at point-fucking-blank range to boot."

Yup, that sounded like the Mugino who stood among the others at the pinnacle of power within Academy City. However, despite the Stalking Trio's initial beliefs, the Meltdowner's actions did not reflect the words in which she was speaking. She too hooked her arm around his waist, her action being less about closing what little distance that kept the apart. From the three stalker's perspective it looked more like a one-armed hug more so than it did anything else. The fact that Kamijou's own arm tightened itself a bit around her in response to her actions served spur on this belief.

"I'm getting sick of you trying to embarrass me in public, Kamijou."

"Eheheh, sorry, I can't help myself I guess."

"Asshole."

Not the most romantic way to conclude a conversation as emotionally stimulating as that. Regardless, one thing life in the dark had taught them was that not everything ends with happily ever after. Sometimes the endings were tragic, sometimes the endings were heartbreaking or bittersweet. Callousness was part of the job description, henceforth delusions of being saved by a hero and riding off into the sunset were left behind with their innocence. To those girls among the Stalking Trio this...ending, so to speak, was an acceptable conclusion to such a conversation between two people romantically involved with one another.

"Hey, hey, hey! What do we have here!?"

Of course, one _must_ remember, that Kamijou Touma was blessed with suck. For that reason alone his misfortune was destined to creep up and ruin some part of his day. Kinda like a stalker who had more than a few yandere-ish traits about them. In this instance, fate decided that his misfortune would take the form of two not-so-humble looking gentleman. Like the gutter trash they were, the two gruff looking fellows had come from some nearby alley. Pretty cliché if one were to be honest but the fact remained that this was by no means an unusual occurrence.

Skill-Out scum often did prowl around in the evening hours and it was right around the time they became more active.

All the same, it didn't change the fact that it was painfully cliché!

"...you can't be serious." That was Mugino's verbal response which had originally been her thoughts. Guess the sheer stupidity of it all got the better of her. The next part was consciously said aloud in contrast to the line before it. "Oi, Kamijou, is this really happening right now?"

"Mhm." Apparently Kamijou had developed an immunity to this kind of scenario. "It is."

Two people then sighed in unison.

"...you making fun of us?"

"I think they are n' its pissin' me off. It's all good though, we can fix that."

"Remember to try and not bruise up the girl too much."

Not far from all of this, the distant observers shook their heads out of pity.

Also, yes, that included Takitsubo.

Back with the couple, who previously had looks of annoyance on their features, quickly became overtaken by a mild case of anger.

"...Kamijou."

"It's two-on-one, those are doable odds, so I got this."

"Fuck the odds, they pissed me off, _I'm_ getting this."

Instead of glaring down the two delinquents, Mugino and Kamijou shifted their heated gazes at each other.

"You'll end up making a mess if I leave this to you."

"And you'll end up looking like a mess if I leave it to you."

"I'm handling this!"

"No, you dick, I am!"

"Hey! Don't ignore us you—"

"Excuse me, but do you mind!?"

"You heard him, shut your hole!"

Quite the surreal experience for all parties involved to be honest.

A couple fighting with each other over who would handle the would-be assailants was certainly a new experience to some. If this had been an ongoing fighting anime then this would be the part where the two started playing Jan-Ken-Pon to see who fights first. Sadly that didn't occur, despite how close it looked to actually happening, because one of the two eventually relented. And the one who did had raised the eyebrows of those who were observing from a distance. Said person removed her arm from around the spiky haired boy and promptly folded both arms below her chest.

She didn't look happy about it either.

"Tch, fine, do that white knight thing you like doing all the time." What the hell was that supposed to mean!? And no, that was not a thought that was exclusive to the Stalking Trio; the thugs were also thinking along the same lines. "It'd be faster if I did it though."

"That's why I'm not letting you do it." Retorted the boy with yet another sigh before stepping forward just a few paces; now clearly addressing the boys in front of him. "I think you should know that I'm doing you both a big favor by doing this. Don't blame me if you regret what happens next."

One big problem that came from observing things from the back was that you couldn't see everything. A lot of context is lost when only half of the whole picture could be seen. While the tough-guy act from Kamijou may have sounded intimidating, the full impact of his words were lost to the likes of Takitsubo (assuming she cared), Frenda, and Kinuhata. Mainly because they could not see his expression, his eyes, or any other features besides his still uniform-clad back. But the two delinquents, oh, their expressions spoke volumes. Saying that they were afraid was not entirely correct; more like they looked anxious and uncertain.

They looked like two bullies who lost their gall when the big brother showed up to defend the sibling they were picking on.

"Cocky bastard, talkin' big cause you got your girl watchin'."

For some reason Kamijou looked over at 'his girl', who clicked her tongue in response, before gazing back at the speaker.

"I...don't see how that plays into this. I was just telling you that, between me and her, you'd much rather deal with me."

"Flattering, very flattering Kamijou, should I fucking swoon now or later?"

Mugino's commentary, who was clearly making light of the whole situation, served to piss the nameless thugs off even more.

"Would you two shut the hell up!"

"Oh fuck this!"

In a case of outrageous stupidity, one of the two thuggish boys decided to preemptively remove something from his pocket. It didn't take long after it was out in the open for all present to see that it was a knife. With the retrieval of a lethal weapon the dynamics changed and it was the thugs who held an air of confidence. Key indications that helped them decipher that was the brief stiffening of Kamijou's body once the weapon was exposed. For a normal perspective the knife was indeed a threatening instrument in the hands of petty delinquents.

Frenda and Kinuhata probably would have burst out laughing if they were in his position.

They weren't and therefore didn't know that his reaction was due to an entirely different reason.

Said reason quickly made itself apparent in the form of a green streak of light. A light that made from electrons being forced to move while in an middle state between particles and waves. The blast itself was small, roughly the size of a soft-ball, and it had been aimed right at the blade itself. All parties blinked when the light first appeared, but when they looked they saw that only the handle of the weapon remained. What was left of the blade was glowing a fierce orange color as the metal that it was composed of melted from the extreme heat.

"You listen here, bitch." And then the one responsible for this occurrence spoke. "You, both you, have three seconds to get the hell out of my sight. If you're not gone by the time I get to four..."

A rare moment where it was a good thing that the Stalking Trio weren't able to see everything. Otherwise they would have shivered at the downright murderous expression that was shown on the girl's features at that very moment. They didn't need to guess, they knew it was there given her tone and posture. It was, after all, the side of her which ITEM had grown familiar with over the long period of time they spent working with her. Were it not for that then one only needed to look at those who would soon-to-be victims. For their expressions matched those who had the fear of god placed into them.

"One."

Nothing more needed to be said as the two boys frantically hauled as much ass as they possibly could away from the crazed esper. Nevertheless Mugino's hand was still raised and poised towards their retreating backs, contemplating just shooting them for the hell of it. Ultimately she didn't, which was a sweet relief to all parties since that would have been a bitter ending to an otherwise good day. Relaxing her posture, the girl brushed her hair off her of her shoulder as her attention turned back towards the only male left standing near her. Said male's head turned slowly back to her as she stood there with her arms cross underneath her chest.

"Told you my way was faster." The matter-of-fact tone expressed did little to belie the murderous intent that had briefly exposed itself. "Now that that's done, wanna get going before more show up?"

By all accounts Kamijou took it much better than the Trio had anticipated. All he did was blink once, twice, thrice, then sigh as he combed his hand through his spiky hair.

"At least nobody got hurt this time around." Muttered the boy, to himself most likely, as Mugino strode forward and took back her favorite spot at his side. "I can't help but feel like you went a little overboard."

"...what, you thought I was serious?"

"Kinda."

"Oh come on, if I was serious I wouldn't have given them a running start in the first place."

While Kamijou did seem to have more to say on the matter most of it was lost as the gap between them grew larger. The issue was not that the Stalking Trio couldn't progress forward due to lack of cover. Rather it was because none of them had moved from their current location to pursue them. All of them stayed right where they were, unmoving yet still watching as the retreating backs of the two gained more and more distance. Was it shock or fear that had them rooted to the spot? No, no it was not either of those things which kept them there. Fatigue was the real cause of it all, for they had been walking around all day.

They were tired, plain and simple.

"This has been a super rough day for us."

Kinuhata's comment elected a groan from Frenda as her body slid down concrete wall of the building nearest her. Beside her sat Rikou who took to her favorite pass time which was zoning out to peer into the void which only she could see. Seeing the two other members of this observation party in such a state caused the Dark May Survivor to join them by the wall. Everything that happened today really had taken a toll on them in some way, shape, or form. Granted they learned a great deal from doing this so they should have been classifying today as a success. Truthfully, however, the lady trio didn't particularly feel like winners.

The only achievement that was gained today was the increase in questions that needed to be answered.

"Basically, is anyone else hungry?"

But those questions would have to be put on hold for the time being.

As the pursuit of happiness (i.e. dinner) ultimately took precedence in the end.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

It warms my frozen heart to see that this project was so well received. Although I didn't get much feedback on the question posed last time, I'll take it as a sign that I did an okay enough job. Also, something I want to point out here is that this story is focused on the perspective of The Stalking Trio. Depending on how I feel about it, I might change it up and approach things from either Mugino's or Touma's perspective.

But, as far as things go currently, I'm sticking to the Stalking Trio as the primary perspective.

The double meaning there is that, yes, this story will be getting more chapters. It's fun, I like it, and I'm hoping you all can come to enjoy it as much as I do. I refuse to let the KamiKoto mold remain. You guys deserve diversity, it's long overdue, and damn it I'm gonna provide it after my long absence!

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	3. 3rd Appointment: Player 1

Greetings to all!

To Aru Fanfiction...the Final Frontier.

These are the voyages of the character ship: "Kamigino"

It's continuing mission: To provide an alternative option to the so-called 'Kamikoto' pairing...to seek out new scenarios and new character interactions...to boldly go where no pairing has gone before.—whwsms

*Sniffle* Beautiful...*Salutes*

* * *

Typically when one thinks of darkness, naturally, they attribute the negative qualities. By association everything 'bad' or 'evil' or 'unjust' is categorized as part of that spectrum. We fear the dark not for the void that it creates, we do not fear the void because of what may lurk within it. We fear the void, the darkness, not because we know what lies within. We fear those things, judge those things, because we lack an understanding of what lies beyond our sight.

Society likes to think that the darkness is evil, something to be feared, and despised.

The truth of the matter, however, is that we require its existence. Darkness, regardless of how cruel or frightening it may be, is a necessary quality of life. Rather it is because of darkness that we, as individuals, can come to relish in the light. Never mind the fact that the earth would be a scorched wasteland if not for the earth's well-paced rotation around the sun. Although, if humans as a species had developed in such an environment, those concepts could be easily inverted as well as their meanings. An example of this could be how a vampire finds comfort in the dark and casts the light as being evil. Another, less fictitious, example would be how a shut in enjoys the dark confines of their abode and is frightened by the very concept of stepping outside.

The point here is that, while easy to view negatively, not everything that comes from the darkness is evil, bad, or unjust.

Good things can come from any source at any time provided one puts forth the effort to seek it out.

That was Frenda's interpretation of the post written by some wannabe philosopher's blog. Whoever this person was, they weren't spouting anything phenomenal or informative since everyone already knew all of that already. Just because everyone knew it, however, did not imply that everyone lived or wanted to live by that sort of belief. Having said that, the girl did not even bother reading the rest of the person's post as she closed the app on her phone, rolling her eyes as she did so.

Somewhere, somebody had their feelings somewhat hurt by someone's lack of interest.

But that was not too important at the moment.

"Basically, I feel like we might be taking this to a new extreme. I know we're curious but...basically is this whole setup really necessary?"

Frenda was of course addressing to one of three members of the Stalking Trio. But those two girls were oddly absent which was unusual all things considered. That is unless one was able to take notice of the wireless earpiece that was hidden beneath the long locks of the blonde's hair. A soft blue light blinked in steady intervals as it picked up the signal from the mobile device in her hand. The quality of the device was nothing to scuff at either, even by Academy City standards, as a voice on the other end of the line responded with a clarity matching the quality of the device.

"We've traveled as a group twice already and that's made it super hard for us to sneak around. Going about with the three of us all together wasn't accomplishing much anyway. So, if we look at it that way, then this is one of those cases where less equals more overall. Besides, we look super conspicuous as a group so going the single player route is the best alternative we have at the moment."

"Mhm, yeah, basically I already came to the same conclusion when you first made the suggestion."

Frenda had to refrain from fiddling with the appliance as her eardrum of her right ear was being stimulated by vibrations caused by the earpiece. Supposedly the device had the double effect of blocking out background noise while also providing clear sound quality that worked both ways. Proof of its quality lay in the fact that the blonde could stand in a crowd and still hear and be heard clear as day. In the basic sense of the word, Frenda could hear Kinuhata as if she were right there next to her and vise versa. Functionality-speaking it was superb, but in the fashionable sense it was downright terrible.

On top of being an un-cute fashion accessory it was also uncomfortable to those who were unaccustomed to it.

"Then you should understand why it's necessary." Hence why Frenda twitched slightly when Saiai spoke up once again. "Mugino will be on super guard if we were to get spotted as a group. Getting caught even once will make any future attempts to eavesdrop on them difficult. This is all to minimize the risks of being discovered and by keeping us from standing out too much. "

"That's twice now you've told me something I don't already know Kinuhata."

"Then why did you bother to ask if this setup was super necessary?"

"Basically, where are you right now?"

"Takitsubo and I are at your seven o'clock so you don't need to worry. We'll be right behind you and act as your super second and third set of eyes." There was pause after this that lasted a total of four seconds before the girl finally resumed speaking. "You still didn't answer my question though. Was it supposed to be a super rhetorical question or did you forgot that the headset was on?"

"No no it wasn't, I was talking about something else." From there the blonde took a deep breath through her nostrils whilst moving the receiver closer to her lips. "Like how, basically, it's still _my ass that's going into the single player campaign on the hardest difficulty!_ "

She could hear the sound of Kinuhata's anguish through both ears as she rose her voice near the end of her sentence. A quick glance behind her was all it took to find the Dark May Survivor standing up, roughly thirteen meters away from her current position, clutching at her ear. Again, the device was un-cute as all hell, but functionally speaking it was superb.

"That wasn't nice Frenda..."

Takitsubo, being the only one who didn't have an earpiece, (there were only two) stated the obvious the old fashioned way. She may not have been directly at the receiver but the blonde could still hear her quite well despite that.

Frenda, however, did not seem to be paying Takitsubo's words too much mind.

As indicated by the fist pump and as well as her snickering laughter.

* * *

The day was Wednesday, the weather still relatively comfortable as far as temperature was concerned. While there were clouds looming overhead threatening to develop into storm clouds, Tree Diagram had already predicted the forecast of the week and today was not the day for rain. That was reserved for tomorrow, which was fortunate since that would have made things mildly annoying for everyone. Nevertheless there was the occasional gust of wind that could potentially succeeded in uplifting a few skirts of those who were ill-prepared.

Outside of that the day was relatively fine minus the slight chill that was carried by the wind.

"Basically, it's looking like that Kamijou-guy is running late again."

"At this point that doesn't super surprise me."

Much like before, Frenda had found Mugino out in the open as she waited for the spiky haired boy's arrival. Unlike the last time she was standing with her back against a vending machine, a canned drink in one hand with her phone in the other. Also, unlike last time, she did not look all too displeased which implied that she must not have been waiting there for very long. What now stood as the biggest issue was the growing threat of being discovered by the Meltdowner.

Where exactly was this ideal place of cover?

Why, obviously, it was _opposite side of the same vending machine_.

"I gotta say though, you sure are gutsy with your choice of cover Frenda. Especially for someone who had _loudly_ complained about it being her super ass being put on the line."

"Basically, I don't want to hear that from someone who's safely sitting fifteen meters away."

To be fair Frenda had done a remarkable job getting to this point, mostly thanks to a few factors which served as a benefit to the blonde girl's quest. For one there had been a large influx of students traversing around them due to being released from classes. This allowed her to move about with just a sliver more freedom, especially now that she was on her own. Secondly, the #4 had been busy with her phone at the time of her advancement to this spot, which tied into the final aspect which the blonde used to her full advantage. It was perhaps the most critical part to her success and it was that, generally speaking, Mugino did not pay anyone who was lesser than herself much mind.

This trait was part of who she was and it was the most dominant part of her personality. Shizuri never failed to talk down to those who were inferior to her, regardless of time or place. She was the type of girl who would consider it cute if a hundred Skill-Out member's attacked her before blowing them to pieces. As a Level 5 she had that right to be confident as well as the luxury to not be afraid of an otherwise imposing threat.

And Frenda had exploited that Level 5's superiority to her advantage.

She did not know if she should feel proud or sad about that.

Even so it was not the most reliable means of exploitation as it was possible that Frenda may have been an exception to that ruling. Any other time she would like to hope that she was whereas now, on the other hand, being omitted would not end with a favorable outcome. Reason being was that there was still the trifling issue of the contingency plan in the event that Mugino was to catch sight of her. Or, to be blunt, the lack of a contingency plan in the event that she was discovered. For if that were to happen then the only plan she had to respond with was both unoriginal and painfully boring.

And that option was to run away.

Utterly brilliant.

"Basically, are there any signs of that Kamijou-guy yet? I-I'm getting antsy sitting here waiting with Mugino less than a two feet away from me y'know."

"Nothing yet, stay calm, don't super panic, and stick it out."

"Basically, I demand a switch!"

Fortunately Frenda did not need to wait too much longer. Following her hissed outcry she took note of some movement coming from the gap between the buildings to her right. Upon noticing it she almost wrote it off as being a cat or even a few brazen delinquents lurking in the shadows. Closer inspection showed that she was half right, there certainly did appear to be someone who looked less than pleasant in the alley. He wasn't facing the street, and by default her, and yet his form gradually got closer and closer towards her and the rest of the populous.

Only a few seconds after noticing this oddity did she realize what was going on.

And shortly after both the delinquent and a familiar boy came barreling out of the alley. The back of the gruff looking teen collided with the rear side of the vending machine, causing it to tilt forward a bit. A grunt of pain followed suit before he was released from his attacker's hold. After that primitive actions of violence ensued for about a few moments; coming to an end as quickly as it began.

Details regarding those actions were largely discarded as, one must remember, this is a romcom and not an action oriented story that is being told.

"...basically, you saw that right? "

That question was answered before she even finished asking.

"Now that's how you make super entrance."

Frenda wasn't the only person who was surprised by this sudden development taking place out in the open. People who had watched this unfold had a mixture of reactions regarding this scenario. Some had taken out their phones to record events as they occurred. Others began dialing Anti-Skill and Judgment to alert them of the public disturbance. As for the spiky haired youth himself, he was too busy catching his breath to pay any of that too much mind. Oddly enough Kamijou was still holding his school bag up throughout most of that and he was still decked out in his school uniform.

Sweaty and a few bruises aside, he looked like he had just gotten out of class like everyone else. So the question that stood as the dominant though in the blonde girl's mind was pretty straight forward.

That question being:

What the hell is all this about!?

"Hi there Kamijou."

Ah, it changed to something else:

Why are you so unbothered by this Mugino!?

Due to the positioning of her person, Frenda was at least able to peak over just far enough to stay out of Mugino's sight. What she found was an out of breath teen standing over a now groaning and swollen mess of a boy who just got the crap kicked out of him. He wasn't unconscious but based on how beat up he was it looked like he wished he was. Not that Frenda was all too impressed since this was the same boy who flipped out over a knife last time she saw him. Hardly his fault since he did seem like an overall normal guy in every way minus the hair.

But all of that was beside the point. Mugino had greeted him and his response to that casual statement had yet to come. Probably because he was too busy catching his breath to properly respond. That was amended when Frenda saw an outstretched arm extend to him a canned beverage to which he wholeheartedly accepted. Some casual observer seemed to make a big deal out of the indirect kiss from him drinking after the girl who offered it to him.

Frenda promptly rolled her eyes at the sheer childishness of it all.

Steamy, grabby, body pinning kinda kissing on the other hand, now _that_ was something to make a big deal out of.

"Gha! Thanks Shizuri, you just saved me big time." Refreshed and reenergized, Kamijou's attention fell onto the girl in question with an expression best described as being sheepish. "Sorry for running a little late, I ah...had to take care of something first."

Go on, explain, explain this right now you enigmatic drittsekk!

The last one did not count because it was not a question. All the same it was worth addressing in spite of it being screamed mentally and not verbally.

Lastly, she called him an asshole for those wondering.

"I can see that, but don't worry you spiky head about it." Don't carry on with the conversation so casually! At the very least be a little upset about being forced to wait! "For right now, let's get going before things get annoying. The last thing I feel like doing is having Judgment or Anti-Skill wasting our time."

"I want to agree with you, but I can't. The reason this happened in the first place is because he stole someone's pocket book. So the least I could do is—"

"Kaaamiiijooou."

To most observers, the action of dragging out pronunciations might not have meant too much and easily dismissible. But to Frenda, as well as Kamijou, this action served as a clear indication that Mugino was not pleased. Evidently she was not too keen on the idea of waiting around and Kamijou's reluctance to move was impeding on her 'date time' with him. Hence why, upon hearing the telltale signs of aggression, the spiky haired youth's frame tensed up.

From there sweat of the panic verity began to be produced from his pores as the Meltdowner's gaze found itself stuck to his tense form.

Sympathy would have been provided by the blonde if she too was not in a state of heightened alert herself. As someone who regularly was exposed to that sort of behavior as well, she could relate to what Kamijou was feeling. Hence the reason why she too had tensed up and her body started producing the same panic sweat. She was not even in the target of this treatment and yet her body still responded like this.

So yes, she could relate to what the boy was feeling right now; sadly not everyone else shared this level of understanding.

Case in point being the males observing from the sidelines who were all too quick in labeling him as being p-whipped.

Although there was some truth to that.

"...y-yeah, okay, I'll just um." Scared out of his wits (like her), Kamijou shot his gaze around briefly before settling on the worst possible person of all; her. "S-sorry, but can you make sure Anti-Skill gets this when they come by? I'd do it myself but...well."

Not. One. Word.

She could not say a single word, only nod, as the boy reached down, picked up the stolen property, and passed it over to her. His apologetic expression was all he could provide in response before stepping over to join his Level 5 Lover who was already a few paces ahead of him. All that remained was Frenda, holding a wore denim pocketbook, as the observes all gradually dispersed with the commotion now settled.

"...are you super okay over there Frenda?"

For the first time since putting on that un-cute earpiece Frenda was almost glad to hear Kinuhata's voice.

Almost.

However there was a bit of a disconnect since Frenda was still recovering from a mild case of shock. With everything that happened all at once the poor girl's brain had nearly short-circuited as she tried to process it all. In the moments it took for her mental systems to reboot due to overheating, the girl could only respond with the first thing that came to her mind.

"...basically, he has kind eyes..."

Saiai, unsure how to respond to the off-the-wall comment, wisely chose to remain silent.

* * *

"Remember how I said I'd tell you if you do something I don't like?"

Fortune had smiled on the Single Player Stalker after she had agreed to carry out the task presented to her. Apparently Judgment had a much better response time than Frenda had initially believed. What she thought would take another ten minutes took less than four as a girl with twin-tails abruptly appeared on the scene. A light explanation and confirmation of the perpetrator's theft of personal property did the trick and thus allowed the blonde to go about her business.

Some time had been lost in providing a brief exposition, but the girl was able to catch back up with the couple in no time.

With Kinuhata and Takitsubo keeping tabs on their location, the possibility of losing the two was naught. Which brings us to where things currently stand as the two traversed with Frenda not too far behind. Evidently she had caught up at the best possible time too. Made more evident by the fact that she had arrived at a critical point in the couple's conversation.

"Ah...I see where this is going."

Conversation, however, didn't sound like the proper term to be using here. Rather it was sounding more like an argument or maybe even a simple scolding.

Hard to tell given she showed up late for the buildup leading to this point of their spat.

"Well that white knight hero mentality of yours, that's one of those things." Another apparent fact was Mugino had elected to ignore her lover's wry comment. Opting instead to click her tongue whilst stepping up her pace a bit. "I'd understand if it was something related to you or people personally associated with you. But for other people you've never met or will ever meet again, really? Is your fucking CHS that bad Kamijou, huh!?"

 _Someone's_ a troper.

Chronic Hero Syndrome for those who missed that.

Also, please refrain from using acronyms people might not understand Mugino-san.

"Are you saying it's a bad thing for me to want to help people?" Refuted the boy, now clearly invested into the discussion and thus transforming it from a scolding into an argument. "I don't see anything wrong with doing what any other would do in my position. So what if they're strangers, who cares if I do or don't know them or ever meet them again? Those things don't matter, in fact they should never matter to begin with! What does matter is that someone needs help and if I can then I will; simple as that!"

They were openly yelling out in the street at this point. Nobody said anything, an argument between a couple was not something most people were brazen enough to interject. It was one of those things that people see and hear, but wisely keep a distance from. The less involved they were the less likely they were to catch the ire of those involved in the heated engagement. A lot like how people pretend not to see a middle school girl getting harassed by rough looking older men.

Not like this was a better sight to behold out in public, especially when one takes into account the possibility that both are espers.

If such a thing turned out to be the case then things can get very dicey in a matter of moments.

"Don't give me that shit! If you're really doing what anyone else would do, then let someone else deal with it! That's what law enforcement is paid to do, it's their fucking job, not yours!"

"We both know Judgment and Anti-Skill can't be everywhere for everything! And I'm not leaving something like that up to chance in the event that someone really does need to be saved!"

"Saved!? Sounds to me like your banking on the idea that a purse snatching turns into a god damned back alley shoot out!"

"That's happened before, just not with guns; it was an esper being a dick to Level 0's."

The last part there was spoken a bit lower for one reason or another. Mugino, having heard him, only stared at him in mild disbelief, though it was largely overshadowed by her frustration regarding this particular topic. What took Frenda off guard was how Mugino didn't immediately call that claim into question. Like she wholeheartedly believed him despite how ludicrous it sounded from her perspective.

Believable, maybe, but the coincidence of it being _him_ who stumbled upon that sort of encounter were too absurdly low to be possible. Unless, of course, he was actively looking for it in the first place. Despite the absurdity of it all, Kamijou's words served to somehow lower the Meltdowner's temperament by a slight margin.

That, however, did not imply that the #4 had conceded to the point he had made.

"So what? You're saying its perfectly fine for you to go charging after every single purse snatcher? Are you telling me you'll answer every fucking cry of help you hear?"

"As long as I can do something, then yes."

"Even if your with me!?" Rebuked Mugino, whom Frenda noted looked far more agitated by this than normal. "You gonna ditch _me_ to go play hero for someone else!?"

Yet another instance of a lacking perspective on the situation in play. None of the Stalking Trio had really done any in-depth research into the Kamijou boy since discovering his name. Frankly it was just a matter of not wanting to do all the extra leg-work for someone so average. Hoops needed to be jumped and some favors needed to be called in to acquire someone's personal information. Depending on how detailed it was those hurdles can get pretty steep and even then you probably would end up with more questions than answers anyway.

No part of that had to do with the group's own laziness regarding the issue; nope, not at all.

Although there was bound to be a shift in resolve after today. Mugino's consistent use of the term 'hero' and the lack of denial from Kamijou was doing a good job at instigating her to do a background check.

"Oi, Frenda, what's going on!? What are they super arguing about!? Talk to us here!"

Back at the situation at hand though, Kamijou and Mugino were seemingly in a deadlock as both had long since stopped walking. The latter's latest inquiry, however, seemed to have put the former in a tough place because he had yet to formulate a retort to it. Difficult as it was for her to follow, Frenda still strained her ears so as not to miss a single word. This explained why she did not respond to the Dark May Survivor on the other end of the earpiece. Nevertheless, Kinuhata's barrage of questions was starting to get annoying to the point that she contemplated turning off the un-cute device.

"Well, what are you waiting for, answer me Kamijou!"

"Why!? You already know the answer to that question! Why do you want me to say something that's obvious from the start!? I'll say it, regardless of if you like it or not I'll still flat out tell you the truth if you ask for it! My answer is yes, I would, I would gladly put aside my own fortune for any person who cries out to me for help!"

Challenging it was to determine the full impact this declaration had on the Meltdowner's mind. Always aloof, always appearing calm except for in her most private of moments. That was who Mugino Shizuri was supposed to act as someone immersed in the Darkness of Academy City. She was supposed to remain composed, in control, unless provoked to a degree that triggered her more malicious emotions to surface.

Rare was it for that facade to crumble into dust before her eyes. Rarer did the emotions that surface differ from murderous glee or unyielding rage.

However these 'observations' had been nothing but a series of firsts and the exposing of rarities.

This time was no different.

This time she saw what looked to be indisputable hurt surface on the beautiful features of that young woman. Not to the degree that threatened to bring about tears. Just...hurt, pain, and all around displeasure upon hearing such a straightforward response. One must note, however, that the term 'briefly' was used for a reason. Not because she concealed or replaced it behind another facade.

No it was because Kamijou, despite the harsh truth he delivered, was not done speaking.

"I'm not about to say I won't do something when both of us know is a lie. What's more, I won't say doing that comes easy to me either! Believe me, the last thing I want to do is make you feel as though you've been abandoned. But if that happens, if I have to leave you behind, then I'll gladly prostrate myself on the spot and apologize. Doesn't matter if I have to do it one time or a thousand times, in public or in private, I'll do it whenever and wherever."

The area had been heavily thinned out due to the high tension that was built between these two.

Good thing too, surely the term 'p-whipped' would have resurfaced again in the minds of this listening in.

"I'm not the forgiving type Kamijou."

Shizuri was not lying, she truly was not, and never had been for as long as ITEM had known her.

Nevertheless Kamijou did not stall in the slightest with his response.

"Then I'll do whatever I need to and more to earn that forgiveness. It could take weeks, months, even years but, until you tell me otherwise, I'll keep trying. And if you never do...then maybe I don't deserve to be forgiven and I'll take that as yet another lesson in humility."

A pretty bold statement and by no means did it appear to be lacking in terms of conviction. And for the second time Frenda felt her heart flutter a tiny bit as a result of hearing him speak in such a manner. Why he was so adamant about this subject Frenda did not know. Regardless, the flames of ire that had been burning within the heart of the #4 gradually began to quell. Although she was still maintaining the image of anger, it was utterly ruined by the biting of her bottom lip.

Shizuri almost looked like she was pouting after Kamijou had used some unfair trick to beat her. Like some secret cheat code to unlock the good ending at the starting screen without having completed the story campaign. In the end, however, she gave up on trying to maintain that image and settled for mild frustration rather than the blazing fury that it once was.

"Tch, I swear, dealing with you can be such a headache sometimes." Admitted the girl, letting loose a relenting sigh as her hand combed through her soft-tea hair. "One of these days that white knight bullshit is gonna get you killed or worse. Honestly, though, where the hell do you come up with the shit you say anyway?"

"Life experience?"

"Shut up!"

Guess Kamijou failed to realize that last question of hers was meant to be a rhetorical one. Still, for better or worse, he closed what gap there was between them before tentatively extending his hand out to her. Noticing the gesture the girl's gaze first went to the offered appendage, then up to the boy's face; showcasing the dirty look she had and was giving both. At which point the spiky haired youth could only laugh awkwardly whilst retracting the limb. He didn't get far before Shizuri took it, though her heated gaze remained as she maintained eye contact.

"I'm still mad as fuck at you."

"I know."

"I'm not the forgiving type; be sure keep that in mind."

"I'll remember."

"Good, cause _you_ are going to be flat broke by the end of the day."

"...my bank card is an innocent bystander, show mercy."

"No mercy, no compromise, no forgiveness. Consider it a compensation fee for being late."

"...such misfortune."

And just like that, with no lasers and no hurt feelings (minus Kamijou's) the two set off. Despite the aura of 'bad mood' stagnating around the two, they did not release their hold on one another. Granted it wasn't the usual posture Frenda was accustomed to seeing from those two. In a way that was a plus since it meant that they had resolved the matter without any further issue. Normally that would be something worth celebrating. Sadly it wasn't, not to Frenda anyway, who had only just finished processing the outcome of this little squabble.

How was that possible?

How was that fair?

How did this odd declaration of his warrant such a reaction from the Meltdowner of all people!? Bullshit, Frenda mused, it was complete and utter bullshit! This whole 'deredere' nonsense was just too out of character for someone as cruel and twisted as Mugino. Surely she must have been thinking along the same lies as well, right!? Somewhere at sometime that thought must have occurred to her, it had to have come to mind at some point. True as it was that there was someone out there for everyone, this sort of reaction was just too uncharacteristic even for someone that was in love.

"Huh!? Wait, don't leave yet, you two were so clooooose!"

Blinking, Frenda quickly came to the realization that she was not alone and thus turned to find the source. What she found was someone to her left peeking out from behind the cover that was unknowingly being shared. It was a girl, red hair tied up in a ponytail, sporting a cap and dressed like a track runner. Awkward as that in itself was it seemed the girl felt her deadpan stare and met it head on as if she were a deer under a spotlight. That analogy, though accurate, was short lived as the red-head gave her a guilty smile and even waved to her like they were acquainted.

Frenda never met this girl in her life.

"Khehehe."

"Go away you stalker."

You're one to talk Single Player Stalker!

* * *

Having ditched the (other) stalker, Frenda resumed her observation (stalking) of the traversing couple. At least, that is what she should have been doing during this particular moment in time. In some respects she had maintained a safe distance from the two and was indeed tailing them. But it was clear to even the casual observer that her heart was not as into it as it should be. She was attentive enough to note that the couple were still traversing hand-in-hand. Yet the amount of distance between them and her was too vast to effectively eavesdrop on any sort of conversation.

Easy as it was to amend this, the girl did not.

Even a stalker, it seems, needs a break every now and then.

"I don't get this." And Frenda had more than a few thoughts that she wanted to get off her chest. "Basically, there's too much we still don't know about those two."

"Aren't you supposed to be super saying 'that guy' rather than 'those two' here?" Inquired Saiai, to whom Frenda was certain was sporting an expression of skepticism. "Wasn't that Kamijou guy the person we knew next to nothing about in the first place?"

No part of this relationship made sense. None of the things she had witnessed should have held any sway over _that_ Mugino.

It shouldn't.

It couldn't.

It didn't.

Yet, inexplicably, it did _so long as it was coming from Kamijou._

Such reasoning in itself should have been sufficient enough to put their focus squarely on him. He alone should have been the subject of their attention as he had been since the beginning.

Now, however, Frenda was beginning to think otherwise.

"Basically, I'm not sure who's the bigger stranger to me at this point." Her little confession was met with silence, which the blonde interpreted as a sign that an explanation was needed. "You've seen how differently Mugino has been acting when she's around him. You know that a lot of her behavior patterns don't match her personality. While some parts are still the same most other's aren't. It basically doesn't add up; two plus three does not equal six."

Basically, what was really eating away at the poor girl, was the unknown. Specifically, she didn't know if _this_ Mugino was the her real, true, self that was hidden and locked away in the recesses of her heart. Was _this_ Mugino who she really was inside when the job is done and the blood was washed away? Or was this all a beautiful lie, a fake life, a layer of false smiles and false happiness she weaved for the sake of maintaining her sanity? Frenda liked to believe, wanted to believe, that what she kept witnessing was her true self; the side herself that she never showed.

But the ambiguous nature of her secret love life served to keep her from reaching a definitive answer.

It was like how a side character's back story in a novel remained unknown despite being around since the beginning. Said side character could come out of nowhere and do various things, yet the 'hows' 'whens' ect. would still remain a mystery.

The mystery beyond the mystery; the failure of knowing which was true and which was not.

That was what was troubling her so much.

"In simple addition it super doesn't, but it does if you use multiplication."

Logically there was a legitimate explanation behind it all; the reason was there somewhere.

"Not what we're talking about smart a—ah...actually that's a good segway. Basically you made my point, if we focus all our attention on one side of things, we run the risk of ignoring everything else. That's why I'm saying we shouldn't discount the possibility that we may not know enough about both of them."

Lack of focus was not the withstanding issue, rather it was a lack of perspective; a lack of context.

"Sooo...your saying we've been putting all of our focus in the super wrong place?"

Therefore, if what they lacked was context, then the only sensible option for them to take was to broaden their perspective.

"Exactly, we've been so hung up on that Kamijou guy that we neglected to look at anything else."

Odd how perky Frenda seemed to become the more they discussed this.

A possible reasoning for this may have been due to find some sick enjoyment from this whole ordeal.

Stalkers are a creepy breed of folk indeed.

"Okay, I'm starting to follow your train of thought." Apparently Frenda's enthusiasm was starting to spread. Bird's of a feather everyone; birds of a feather. "What you're saying is that, instead of just that Kamijou guy, we need to start looking at the picture as a whole. Meaning that, if we want to make sense of all of these odd behavior patterns, then we need to focus on Mugino as well. For that we need details, super specific details, like how they met and things of that nature. Does that sound about right?"

"Yup, basically, that's what I'm saying. And now that we're both on the same page, the subject of how they met would be the best place to start."

Yet, despite coming to this conclusion, there was still one question that needed to be asked. How do they go about finding those details in a discreet manner without Mugino finding out. Better yet, how would they go about doing that without having to directly ask the Meltdowner or her lover personally? Factors such as 'who was involved' or 'how did it happen' were things to also be taken into consideration. Although they could stick it out and hope that the two decided to discuss the matter during a trip down memory lane. Unconventional as that was it would stand to be the most reliable source of information.

There was also the other factor one had to take into account here.

And that was how they had come to hear Kamijou address their tyrannical leader.

Shizuri, not Mugino, Shizuri was the manner in which the boy used when he chose to address her. There were no honorifics, no cute pet names, none of that was present at all. Although she may occasionally refer to those of ITEM on a given-name basis the same treatment was not something that was shared. They called her Mugino, always had and even after today they would still continue to call that. Some would like to believe themselves to be the Level 5's friends or at least something more than just business partners. Was such a thing possible? Could _that_ Mugino Shizuri see the girls of ITEM as anything more than just coworkers?

A few of them liked to believe so while others couldn't care less about the matter. Regardless of which side one stood on, with the amount of time shared between them, it became clear that Mugino was not concerned for friendship or companionship in general. Such was what she had led them to believe anyway. That had long since been disproven and Kamijou's casual approach to saying her given name was a testament to their deep bond. In spite of the fact that, as far as they collectively knew, he hadn't spent nearly as much time with her as they have. Which meant that something big had to have happened between them.

Something so big that it had a phenomenally strong impact on Mugino at the time.

Conversely it could be a case of the two having good chemistry and just 'clicked' in the most fundamental of ways.

Pfft.

In all seriousness though, all variables needed to be put into consideration; even the unlikely ones. For in the grand hypothetical spectrum of all things deredere, no theory was to be dismissed. All the same nothing was to be taken as being absolutely true until it is proven or otherwise.

"Basically, before I forget, what's Takitsubo doing?"

Oddball question to throw out there, sure, but she could not help herself from being curious. Considering she had not heard much from the girl she assumed that she was dosing off like usual. Not surprising since there were only two of these un-cute earpieces, leaving one member of the Stalking Trio out of the loop.

"Huh? Oh right, you can't hear her right now, hold on a sec." A few minor adjustments later and Frenda was exposed to a series of unfamiliar sounds from the other end of the line. "She's been super busy popping bubble wrap for the past half hour. She's also being super stingy with it too, won't give me a sheet."

Pop! Pop! Popopop Pop!

Boaster.

Dirty, stingy, bubble-wrap hoarding boaster.

"...basically I can't get a read on her."

"Me either but she looks like she's super enjoying herself. Figured it was better to just leave her alone... _after she lets me have a turn_."

Pop! Pop! Popopop Pop!

What?

Who _doesn't_ like popping bubble wrap?

* * *

Spiritually refreshed, Frenda's resolve to recommence her stal— _observations_ of the couple was restored. With that being said, she once again moved herself accordingly to follow their line of conversation without being too close to warrant much suspicion. However, after reestablishing her former positioning and maintaining said distance, she found nothing. No words, no comments, just a stained silence that was eating away the atmosphere surrounding them as they walked. So great was it that she could practically see the trail produced by the cloud of displeasure hovering above them.

That or Frenda took note of the looks of discomfort coming from people passing them by.

Mugino must not have had the most pleasing expression right now.

"...I have no place to ask this, but where are we going Shizuri?"

"Shopping."

A brusque answer; yup she's still mad.

At least that answered the question Frenda was asking herself around this time. Partially answer anyway, the vagueness of her respond did not indicate any specific location but the meaning was still clear as day. Coupled with the knowledge that she was going to ruin his bank account and you have a pretty clear understanding of Mugino's intentions. No place was off limits, food, clothes, accessories, any one of those things would suffice. It was all about finding a good place with a large verity of those things and more. After using those parameters it became pretty obvious to blonde where the set destination was going to be.

District 7's Underground Shopping Center.

That labyrinth of a place would surely run the boy dry on funds in no time. No amount of optimism would save him (his wallet) from the grim fate that awaited him. Especially with Mugino leading the charge, who's tastes were so demanding that nothing but the best would satisfy her. That was the sort of girlfriend the spiky haired boy had attained somehow. Speaking of which, Kamijou appeared to have come to the same conclusion that Frenda did in terms of their destination. As such he awkwardly tried to fish out his wallet to check on the amount of money that he had on hand. It was awkward because he was using his left hand instead of his right to get to it.

Shizuri had still not let go of the appendage.

It proved to be a far greater hassle when one takes into account that his school bag was still on his person.

Thus the inevitable occurred as he dropped the aforementioned school bag. Not only that but he also dropped his wallet, which he had almost managed to retrieve moments before. In his haste to retrieve them his body jerked around, causing him and Mugino's arms to grow taut like a leash on a dog. The abruptness of the action almost caused both parties to stumble out of sheer surprise. Instinct, mainly Mugino's, was what stopped this from happening. That instinct was to let go of the appendage that was causing this resistance. Unfortunately that meant it was time for centrifugal force to take over as he lost balance.

And fell face first into the exposed valley of a sports bra-clad chest.

"..."

Frenda had too little to say about this.

"..."

Mugino had _too much_ to say about this.

"...such misfortune."

Kamijou had one thing to say about this.

"Hehe, stop it, that tickles."

And the chest did not seem to give a damn about this.

Said owner of the chest handled the matter pretty calmly all things considered. Gripping him by the shoulder and giving a light push was all it took to remove him from her personal bubble. Yet the dark haired girl showed no signs of animosity in spite of the freakishly awesome accident. She just zipped up her sweater, adjusted her cast, and crouched down to pick up some of the items he had dropped. It went without saying that Kamijou was red in the face from the encounter, but was nevertheless responsive enough to do the same as some of the contents of his bag fell out.

"S-sorry about that, I ah—"

"It's fine, it's fine, don't sweat it Hun."

For some reason that wasn't explained, Kamijou skin rapidly went from flushed to pale.

"Not my usual way of making a beautiful memory, but I can settle with this." This unnamed girl, still in a crouch, looked up to face him with a smile that Frenda was quite familiar with. "Thanks for providing me that, Hun."

The exchange only lasted by a few moments, no less than fifteen seconds. Then it was over, the girl passed along the items into the pale boy's twitchy hands, stood up, and continued on her way. Normal as this exchange was (mostly), Frenda knew better than to think that the woman was anything but ordinary. Admittedly not a huge threat to someone like her or Mugino, but to a normal person she was something definitely someone to be afraid of.

She was like them, yet another part of the dark underbelly of this city.

And somehow that spiky haired teen knew this.

Why else would he be so pale if he didn't?

"Hun, huh?" Oh, right, that could be a reason. "You're 'misfortune' as you call it, that's another thing that I don't like. I also don't like the fact you basically motor boated some cunt and got complimented for it."

"...oh please don't kill me Shizuri."

He still did not have the courage to face her.

Or stand up for that matter.

Frenda almost wished she was in his shoes...only so she could avoid seeing her.

"Oh no-no-no-no, killing you won't do at all." Strangely that assurance was not so assuring. "In fact, it's occurred to me that I know of a _muuuch_ better place to do some shopping."

Kamijou's already pale face turned white; _completely white_.

He knew where she was going with this.

And he did not like it.

"...oh please kill me, Shizuri."

"Toooumaaaaa~"

A chill ran down the Single Player Stalker as the Meltdowner's tone took on a sing-song tone. She wasn't alone either for Kamijou had also tensed up a bit at the sound of the #4's voice. It was a song suitable for mistress death herself, a hauntingly lulling tune that could turn grown men into sniveling, trembling masses of former masculine flesh. Touma's body stiffened as a flawless hand secured itself tightly on his shoulder from behind him. He knew he was screwed, knew it in his bones, knew it in his DNA. Yet, like a rusty cog in an outdated machine, his head cranked around slowly to peer up at the owner of that hand.

And there she was, Mugino Shizuri, armed with a smile that did not reach her cold dark eyes.

Imagination was a terrifying thing especially for those who were cursed with misfortune like he was. For he had to bear witness to the massive dark apparition in the shape of a hyena masked demon behind her. Despite how illogical and unscientific that sounded it was what his mind had conjured as he took sight of this woman that stood as the #4 Level 5.

"Get up, the tram station's not gonna come to us now will it?"

God is dead in the City of Science.

So who does one pray to when they seek salvation?

Incidentally, throughout the course of this conversation, Frenda was busy cowering behind her respected cover. An angry Mugino was a terrifying thing and distance did not matter. Certainly this would not have had a significant impact on her since she was not the target of her aggression. One must remember, however, that Frenda had already gotten her first strike for trying to snoop into the Meltdowner's private business. Case in point, this scenario would most certainly play out should the girl ever know that she was here.

A terrifying thought.

"Jeg så djevelen."

...she reverted back to speaking her native tongue.

That only happened when she was scared out of her wits or when she was extremely satisfied with herself.

Take a guess at which of those reasons fits this scene.

"...what does that mean...?"

Frenda answered that question immediately.

"Basically, it means fuck you we're switching."

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

Before I go any further: **f99** I'm hoping by the time of this update that you have power again. Stay safe, I hope things are turning out okay for you, and don't scare your parents like that. XD

Okay, so, I had my own set of mixed feelings here. I wanted to kinda demonstrate the fact that the Kamigino ship isn't perfect. They argue and vocalize their disagreements like a real couple would. Sadly it feels...forced in some parts to me and not sure if I'm being too critical with myself or if its a legitimate concern. Either way, feel free to let me know if it felt that way to you guys so I can learn from this.

Also, yes, my OC's from ACWOD showed up in here. Don't worry, its just a cameo, and canon characters will be making appearances later on. Next chapter actually and I'm hoping to surprise you with who I have in mind.

On a minor note, I don't speak Norwegian and I only trust Google Translate as far as I can throw it. So if that translation is wrong then I apologize and I blame Google. Seriously though, if its wrong, correct me; I like having accurate translations; OCD is a bitch.

Oh, on an unrelated note: Stop. Asking. For. Lemons. We're three chapters in, only three, and if that's all your here for then you're gonna have to wait.

Please and thank you.

Lastly, if you haven't guessed by now, this is part one of two and Saiai's coming up next. This flip-flop method was something I decided on a whim and so far I kinda like it. But I like having a web-response to my whimsical nature so feel free to let me know if you guys approve of this or not. I still get the final say but I do want to appease you guys the best I can when I can.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	4. 3rd Appointment: Player 2

Greetings to all!

If your readings this, chances are, you were expecting something funny.

Sorry to disappoint.

* * *

Within Academy City, there stood to be a great many things that one can come to expect to find. Technology thirty years ahead of the rest of the world, Espers who could use supernatural abilities through the Power Development Curriculum. Those things alone stood to be the major reason that most would bother coming to such a place. Education, although high in standards, was an added bonus when compared to all of the other potential gains such a city offered. Standing as the capital of science was one thing, but technology was far from the only thing such a city had to offer.

If one sought an example then one need not look any further than School District 15.

Predominantly focused on entertainment and leisure, it was home to a great number of facilities geared for that expressed purpose. Shopping malls, karaoke boxes, parks, and outdoor pools were just the tip of the iceberg. If one sought out the means to be entertained then one did not need to look far in this district. Few, however, actually lived in that district due to it being the highest priced piece of land in the whole city. Only the truly wealthy could afford to pay the staggering rates for housing. A wasteful way to spend money if one was to be brutally honest. Then again the people who could afford to pay that much tended to not be hurting in terms of funding.

"I don't get why it's called a super School District." Oh, yeah, that was a weird fun-fact about this district as well. It was one of the few districts that had few to no educational facilities in it. "It always makes me think that the board of directors were initially short-sighted people. That or this used to have a bunch of schools in it once upon a time."

"Basically, it probably did, Academy City has been around for a long time." Kinuhata's off-the-wall remark was promptly responded to by her fellow stalking partner via the earpiece. "It wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. Space is limited and students did need some form of reprieve from time to time. I mean, would you have thought a city like this would become such a big deal if you were alive thirty years or so ago?"

"I probably wouldn't, good point."

The Dark May Survivor didn't miss the 'Nishishi' coming from other end of the line. To which Saiai could not help but roll her eyes at Frenda's smug behavior.

"Ah, right, can you still see them?"

Did it really need to be said at this point who they referring to?

Rhetorical question aside, the short haired girl eased herself slightly to peer over to her left. A difficult task to accomplish given how crowded the tram car was. Same could be said about identifying specific individuals within a compacted space like this. That, however, was what also played into her advantage as well given how well it concealed her from her target's view. Unless they were actively looking for her they would not see her among the vast majority of folk. She, on the other hand, was free to look as she pleased and thus found her targets within a couple of minutes.

Mugino had been fortunate enough to find a seat despite how cramped it was. Kamijou, on the other hand, was not and was forced to use the overhead railing to keep secure himself. There was a likelihood that he had given up the sating arrangement for the sake of his date, despite the lack of evidence to support that idea. What was noteworthy about this situation was the fact that the spiky haired youth looked like he was losing his balance as he stood there. What made this something worth noting was the fact that these public trams ran pretty smoothly.

So there really was not any reason for him to be so wobbly on his feet.

"Yup, they're maybe a five to six meters away, but I can still see them." Only the deaf would misplace the listlessness in Kinuhata voice as she made her report. "You think that Kamijou guy suffers from motion sickness? He's been shaky since we got on and he hasn't super stopped since."

"Nah, I don't think that's it." Okay, now Saiai was starting to get annoyed at the blonde's sassy behavior since the switch. It was pissing her off. "Basically, you just need to remember where those two are going."

That made two, count two, times that Frenda had made a valid point.

Further observations following this bit of insight served to paint a very different picture. In retrospect it still seemed like he was suffering from a mild case of motion sickness. But that was without taking into account where the couple, and by some extension most of the people on this train, were going. In fact his hairstyle was only part of the reason why Kamijou stuck out this time around. It was his general appearance, how he looked, and how he clearly did not fit in with his surroundings as well as some of the other passengers. Once those factors were put into place the girl came to an understanding regarding the boy's strange behavior.

Taken as a whole and it became increasingly obvious that the true cause of his shaky demeanor was due to a severe case of the jitters.

His staggering motions being a result of the oppressive weight of debt soon to be settling on his shoulders.

"Do you get it now?"

"Mhm, I'd probably be acting the same way if I were in his shoes right about now. That place can be super intimidating for someone who lives off an average salary."

It was no secret that Mugino was the type of person to indulge in the latest trends in terms of fashion. Her closet at home was essentially filled with some of the biggest named brands out there and could fill more than a few whole racks in a clothing shop. That was not an exaggeration either; she had _that much_ at her disposal. And the place she frequently visited to acquire all of that fashionable attire was all in one place. An expensive place that, under normal circumstances, no normal high school student would venture into unprepared. Given his state of distress it was easy to determine that Kamijou was clearly not prepared for this.

He looked like someone who was about to take on a very difficult boss in a video game.

And only now came to realize that he had forgotten to save the last thirteen hours of grinding.

Pop! Pop! Popopo—

"Basically, can you at least wait until _after_ we get off the train before you start that up again Takitsubo?"

Yes, Rikou, can you please stop?

That joke is old now, knock it off!

* * *

Dianoid, the massive hexagonal prism of seventy stories high and rumored to be made out of diamonds. The building renown as being a place where some of the most elite of Academy City's residents gather to shop and entertain themselves. Over twenty floors made up its shopping area, all of its stores offering a verity of high class brand name items. If one sought to remain fashionable and up-to-date with the latest high quality items then you would surely find those item here. Furthermore those stores only occupied the lower levels of this massive commercial building. There was still the Middle, Upper, and the Roof of the building that could be explored.

It was the sort of place that one could spend an entire day inside of and still not see everything it had to offer.

Such a place was what served to be the stage for this boss battle.

"T-t-t-this is w-w-way beyond—"

"Oi, Kamijou, stop goofing around and come on."

Kinuhata's head shook as was forced to witness the pitiable sight that was Kamijou Touma. From the moment he stepped foot inside this massive architectural masterpiece his jitteriness increased tenfold. His shaky hands clutched at his wallet and yet he did not even open or view the contents held within it. Reason being that, regardless of how much was in there, it would not even come close to matching the prices of the items on display. Saiai would have said that he was paralyzed by the staggering prices, but that technically was not true. The trembling legs and quivering hands showed that he was not completely immobile.

True misery was what Kamijou looked like right now.

His life (wallet) was now forfeit and he knew it.

"This is super depressing to look at."

And yet the boy somehow found it in himself to trudge on forward with Mugino waiting for him a few paces ahead of him. Once he close enough she moved and maintained a set pace with him right beside her. Despite this she did not seem to be paying him much mind; her focus primarily being on the stores around them. From Saiai's perspective It almost looked like she was window shopping, sparing each display a few moment's worth of time before moving on to the next. Sometimes she would stop, sometimes she did not, which was a very un-Mugino-ish behavior. Usually she would just waltz on in to whatever store she fancied; giving few fucks to what was on display.

Kinuhata, in all her wisdom, came to conclude the obvious based on past experiences. Meltdowner was deliberately being done because she knew how bad this place was affecting her companion. The daunting prices, the quality of the merchandise, and the whole atmosphere in general. It was purposely being done for the sake of watching the boy squirm under the pressure this place gave off. Seemed she wanted to relish in the feeling of watching Kamijou struggle first. Only after she was satisfied would she then snuff out the entirety of his (wallet's) existence from the face of the planet.

As concluded before some parts of Mugino's personality remained. So it stood to reason that her sadistic side was still present somewhere even now. She could hide it all she wanted behind her charming facade as much as she pleased whenever she pleased. But deep down there was no denying that she got off on doing this sort of thing. It was, after all, one of the more defining and unsightly aspects of her personality.

"Huh, it doesn't look like all too much has changed since last time I was here. " Idly commented Mugino as a more pensive posture overtook her former casual demeanor. "Strange, usually the stock would've been updated by now."

"Aw-too-bad-guess-we-better-leave-now!"

"Oh no you don't, we still have nineteen floors left to sift through."

The boy's desperate escape attempt was foiled right from the start. Mugino's hand shot out to take a fist full of the boy's collar just as he took the first step back towards the entrance. What was more impressive is that she did that without having to look at him. Even more impressive was that hand speed. Kinuhata had watched it happen and still missed the exact moment her arm moved. As for Kamijou, well, he was smart enough to know that such a simple escape plan would have been too easy. Either that or he did not want to risk tearing his school uniform and pay to have it replaced.

Not that he would have any money to do that after today.

"Is this what my personal hell is supposed to look like? Nineteen floors of high value merchandise on an average Level 0's income? It hurts, my heart hurts, I think I'm going into shock; blood pressure's dropping, I'm feeling sleepy."

"What, you suffering from Bradycardia? That's no good, I can't have you passing out on me." Mugino, was missing the point...on purpose and Kamijou was not looking amused or relieved by her concern." We just need to find something to help you stay awake. And I know juuust the place to go that'll help you do that."

Kinuhata watched from her safe distance away as the Meltdowner practically dragged the unfortunate boy along behind her. At least for a few centimeters before he accepted his fate and followed her like a normal person. For awhile anyway, as his attitude changed drastically once they came within range of a certain shop. Saiai, while still lingering further back, had to take a few more seconds to see where they were going. When she did, she noted with some amusement, that Mugino had a cheshire smile on her lips. Kamijou, on the other hand, looked to have been doing an impression of a stone statue.

Unsurprisingly enough it did not take much coaxing on Mugino's part to get Kamijou to hurry along.

"Basically, Kinuhata, where're they going? We can't see from where we are over here."

On another note, the Single Player Stalker felt strangely hollow at this particular moment.

"...do I really need to answer that? "

"Huh?"

* * *

Had Frenda been there, she likely would have understood.

Even if she wasn't there, she quickly grew to understand the Single Player Stalker's preliminary reluctance.

"G-cup, Double D's, C plus, this place is super not flat person friendly." Kinuhata, despite how 'safe' she was here, was not handling this place too well. "W-wait, I'm not flat, my overall body composition is at an equal balance to complement my figure. Yeah, that's right, I'm perfect as I am based on my age, weight, and height."

 _Really_ not handling it well.

"Basically, Kinuhata, don't forget that this thing is still on."

Frenda was _not helping_ matters either.

Disregarding her own inhibitions, Kinuhata still had a job to do. Stalk— _observing_ the two in the stores was not particularly hard thanks to things like shelves and large racks (dammit) of clothing all serving as points of cover. Having said that cover was not as much an issue opposed to the more open areas outside. What stood as the trifling dilemma here was how little space there was for her to move without being seen. One misstep, one motion made too soon or too late, and Mugino would see her.

There was not a huge consequence for Kamijou seeing her, provided it is only in this store. Anywhere else and even he might start to suspect something. All in all she just had to tread with just a bit more caution than before. Not a huge gambit but well within the boundaries of getting a game over screen if she did not remain vigilant.

"Transparent, spider-web patterns, l-leather? What hell is—h-hey that one just looks like a bunch of belts thrown together, not underwear!" Kamijou, however, was taking it all surprisingly well all things considered. It must have helped that he had a fashionable girlfriend like Mugino around all the time. "O-oh, t-th-these are just strings...nothing but strings and tassels. Who comes up with this stuff!?"

"Seems like someone's gotten a bit more lively."

A little too lively if one were to ask her. Mugino was not helping either since she hardly seemed fazed by anything that the boy was pointing out. A reason behind that may have been because she actually liked this sort of thing. She was the same girl who would wear black underwear underneath a skirt and not give a damn if someone saw them. She horded stuff like this at home too, long before Kamijou entered the picture, so her being here was not too out of the ordinary. The fact that she actually had a boyfriend gave her a legitimate excuse to purchase them now. Still did not explain why she looked so amused with said boyfriend's behavior.

"I'm a normal high school student with a healthy interest in the opposite sex; leave-me-alone."

"You do realize, Kamijou, that what you said sounds like something a pervert would say."

"I have to cope somehow since there's no safe place for me to look!" Touma wasn't wrong, there really was no safe place for his eyes to land within this store. "A-anyway, are people really willing to pay this much for stuff like this? Not only that but did they have to put a place like this on this floor where everyone can see it? Is walking in here the same thing as a guy going into the +18 section of a movie rental story?"

Good analogy there Kamijou, that was precisely what that felt like to some people. Namely those sort of girls who wanted to be more 'adult' than they actually were. That fell more into the category of middle school girls who were looking for some sort of cheap thrill. Other times a place like this was a rite of passage to those ignorant girls who did not understand the real purpose these clothes were meant for. That was perhaps one reason why it was on this floor and in such an easy to find place. Then again you had people like the Meltdowner who fit in the 'big sis' criteria and could casually buy these things without even a hint of embarrassment.

It was not the #4's fault that School Garden girls were easily impressionable.

"Meh, as far as prices go, this place isn't as steep as your making it out to be. Placement of these shops is based on how much you're willing to pay to occupy the space. Believe it or not this is one of the most ideal places to be if you're a shop owner. Most people hardly go beyond the seventh floor unless they want something specific. That being the case, whoever purchased this area forked over a lot of money and must be making a decent profit from being here. As far your last question goes, well, that simply sounds like your own personal interpretation. In my eyes, the only time walking in here would be viewed in that light is if it's someone who's self-conscious of their own body."

Not too terribly far off from the girl stood a extremely displeased Kinuhata Saiai. The dark shadow overtaking her brow as well as the menacing frown told anyone and everyone to get away from her for the time being. If that did not then the bad atmosphere promising pain surely would do the trick. On that note: we are all very sorry for your unexciting chest Kinuhata.

B-but do not worry, it's okay, you're still growing.

They'll get bigger eventually, so hang in there!

"To be honest I wouldn't make it to the fifth floor if I was on my own." Touma's response was followed with an inaudible sigh, a vain attempt to ignore the eyes that were staring at him from seemingly every direction. Hard not to be the subject of people's attention when you're one of the few males in the store. "I guess all of that makes sense...well except for the last one. I mean even you must have felt at least slightly intimidated by this stuff the first time you came into a place like this. Any person would feel at least some anxiety from seeing...whatever the hell some of this even is."

And just like that Kinuhata felt as though she had just gotten a +1 Life Point!

"Mmmh, I can't remember my first time coming into a store like this. I suppose, I can give you the benefit of the doubt there."

Ding!

+2 Life Points!

Single Player Stalker's spirits were on the rise!

"So, Kamijou, any preferences?"

Unfortunately Shizuri decided to cast confuse on everyone who was close enough to be listening.

"Huh?"

It was effective.

That was Touma, who found himself lacking any sort of intelligent response.

"Huh?"

It was super effective in fact.

That was Saiai, who was completely taken off guard by the question as well.

"You heard me, what's your preference?" Shizuri's repeated question came out so casually that it was almost shameful. She even had the audacity to smirk at him over her shoulder as she continued to examine a new selection on a different rack. "You're still paying, that part hasn't changed, but at the least I can make this a bit more interesting. Besides I'm actually kinda curious about what your tastes are with this sorta thing. With a selection like this I'm sure that there's at least _something_ here that's within your strike zone."

Keep in mind that, prior to this, Kamijou was mostly fine. He may have been a bit embarrassed but his face was not scarlet red from his ears to his neck line. Now it was, anyone with a functioning pair of eyes could clearly see that. Hell even some of the other customers were blushing a bit, which meant Saiai was not the only person eavesdropping on their little conversation. Those same people were also watching, waiting with baited breath and burning curiosity as to what the boy would eventually select. Discreetly, mind you, although not discreetly enough to avoid being noticed. Poor guy looked like he wanted to find a hole to hide in and stay there.

"Weeell~?" This cutesy act of Mugino's, though disturbing, was none the less amusing. "I obviously don't mind, you're bound to have a fetish of some sort, and there's a plentiful selection to choose from. Go ahead, pick something, I won't judge you too harshly depending on what it is."

The Single Player Stalker could almost swear she heard him gulp from where she was. Eyes were watching, ears were tuned in, and it was focused on him who stood at the center of the stage. Off to the side some university girls were giggling at the whole ordeal, likely finding Kamijou's hesitance to be pathetic. He must have noted that because he suddenly got really tense when he heard it.

Both were wrong in that assumption, but that was beside the point.

Yet the moment of truth still came as Kamijou Touma's shaky hand rose upwards.

And he pointed to one thing that made the spectator's and Mugino's head tilt.

"...you fucking serious?"

* * *

It had practically been an hour since the couple, as well as the Stalking Trio, had entered the commercial building called Dianoid. A total of forty-five minutes had passed since they had exited their first store. Throughout the entirety of that time many other establishments had been visited. In spite of that there was not much that was being carried around by those two; indicating that not much had been purchased. That by itself would have raised some eyebrows given the fact that this place was geared towards those with an abundance of both fame and wealth.

Kamijou had neither of those things, never would most likely, and so there was a limit to what he could actually buy here.

Suffice to say there was not much that fit within his budget.

That was supposed to be the point of all this.

"Did she come here to super break his spirits or what? She's hardly making him buy anything, even the stuff she wants."

"Basically, not everything she wants she gets...like _that thing he's holding on to_."

"Your still going on about that?"

Thanks to the distance that the others were forced to maintain, Saiai was responsible to explain what had happened. That included what Kamijou had chosen to buy and whom Mugino forced to take it to the counter to pay for. Humiliation, pure and simple was what that was, and Mugino added further insult to it by making him carry it. Shizuri herself had flat out refused to do so, claiming that he paid for it so that was his duty and not hers. There was the sneaking suspicion that the #4 did not want to be caught dead with _that_ in her possession. Upon completing her 'report' on everything, she was met with Frenda's noisy laughter; having found it hilarious.

In hindsight it kind of was from someone on the outside looking in.

Not so much for the unfortunate boy though.

Speaking of the spiky haired teen, he looked to have calmed down considerably since their initial arrival. Not quite as jittery of a person like before, although the nervousness remained to some degree. A feasible reason behind that drop in anxiety was that nothing was being bought, no other purchases had been made. Henceforth, with the declining concern, Kamijou was able to actually take in the Japanese-style architecture that made up the lower levels. He himself had actually started to do some snooping around when it came to the displays and shops alongside Mugino.

"Well, all jokes aside, you think she's trying to lull him into a false sense of security? That basically sounds like something Mugino would do under normal circumstances."

Any other time and on any other day Kinuhata might have agreed with the blonde. Because that was surely how the Meltdowner would have acted 'under normal circumstances' as Frenda put it. Which was precisely the reason why she was wrong. That 'normal circumstance' was dictated by _ITEM's_ standards regarding the Level 5's behavior within their group.

"Remember what you said earlier: there's too much about the two of them that we don't know. What we consider to be 'normal' could be super different from what's 'normal' to those two and vise versa."

At this moment in time the #4 was not the leader of the underground group ITEM.

She was just Mugino Shizuri, a girl out with her secret boyfriend and a girl _who_ _just so happened to be a Level 5._

"...I did say that, didn't I?" A rhetorical question no doubt, but Saiai maintained a respected silence. Although she would not have been surprised if Frenda had indeed forgotten her own words for a moment there. "Then your question can't be answered. If she's not leading him into a false sense of security then what is she doing? Expecting him to buy her something on his own accord or something?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I dunno; my ability is Offense Armor, not telepathy."

"Basically we're stuck then."

"For now, yeah, it looks like it." Retorted the Single Player Stalker with a casual shrug. "In the meantime, here's a thought: do you think they've had super sex yet?"

"Bgfhhh!?"

Gross.

Don't do a spit take on the receiver Frenda.

"Don't get all bashful on me, I'm asking a legitimate question here." She truly was, proof being the lack of any form of embarrassment on her visage as she asked it. "Think about it, they've been seeing each other for almost four months now. They only got to meet at night, they did that in secret, and we've seen them playing tonsil hockey out in the open. Furthermore he didn't seem all that embarrassed about being in that shop. Might not have liked the attention he got but he wasn't super uncomfortable by what was around him."

Clearly this had been a subject in the back of her mind for a while now. Something that she had been musing over for the better part of half an hour since the couple moved on. Saiai may not have the full details on every aspect of this secret relationship but the subject of intimacy was something worth bringing up. They saw how aggressive those two had been before. Who knew how far they would have taken it in that alley if they had continued to go uninterrupted? Sure there were some contradictions to this train of thought it was also something that they could entirely ignore either. If it was never asked then they could never speculate on the question itself.

That was what Kinuhata was doing here. Bringing to light a topic that, while mildly embarrassing in public, _needed_ to be asked at some point or another.

"I-I ba-basically I don't think so. I mean, I don't even know what 'super sex' supposed to be like." Frenda, if you're making fun of Kinuhata's verbal tick, then you are basically being a bitch. "Is that like those adult manga where the couple go at it from noon to midnight without any breaks?"

Restraint was the Dark May Survivor's greatest quality beyond her defensive capabilities. Such a reasons were what made her such a valuable asset to ITEM as a whole. That said, even she had her limits in terms of fortitude and self-control. Reaching that point took time but she too had her buttons that could easily push her over the limit. So it was no surprise that Kinuhata, pulsating vein and all, almost removed the earpiece to crush it. The only reason, the only thing keeping her from doing so, was the price the equipment cost. Again it was not cheap and it had proven to be handy during this whole escapade.

"...hey, Kinuhata, you there? You're breathing very hard ove—"

Click.

Single Player Stalker had just went into Offline Mode!

"God dammit."

Said Stalker was red in the face for a very different reason.

She looked cute with that blush though.

* * *

Call it a gut feeling, a woman's intuition, or whatever other natural feeling one gets. Whatever one chooses to call it did not matter; what did matter was that Kinuhata had that feeling for a while now. It was inexplicably stubborn too and it began less than ten minutes after she had decided to go off the grid. It had been this way for almost half an hour and it was only now starting to truly concern her. Something was telling her that it was unwise, foolish even, to cut herself off from the rest of the Stalking Trio. Whether or not this was true had yet to be determined since the couple in question did not appear to have noticed her.

Based on that, the Offline Player merely perceived it as just paranoia invoked by the long standing radio silence.

Assuring herself, however, did not make the feeling go away; in fact it grew stronger.

The reason behind that could lie in the fact that Kamijou had excused himself for the time being. Leaving Mugino waiting by the railing that overlooked the previous floors below. Long had the couple bypassed the second floor as the two had managed to proceeded all the way up to the fifth and were still looking to proceed further up. Despite that not much had changed since before they reached this point. Kamijou had not been forced to purchase anything, Mugino was not insisting on it, and the two continued to traverse further up. This pattern made it strange, so much so that it was starting to bother the Offline Stalker.

Why did Mugino force him to come here?

What was the reason for this trip in the first place?

If it was not to break his wallet then what ulterior motive was there for this little trip?

Touching on the subject before had gotten her no conclusive answers. Questioning it now was not amounting to anything either. Yet Saiai was still in wonder, still concerned, still curious about what the point of all of this was. It could not have been a simple change of heart midway through, could it? Unlikely, Mugino was a resolute person at heart and in some cases she could be even obsessive. If she claims she is going to do something, chances were she would do it. It would not make sense for her to sway from that so haphazardly all of a sudden. Especially given the circumstances that lead up to the couple coming here in the first place.

Hell Kamijou himself believed her when she said he would go broke by the end of the day. If even he assumed Shizuri intended to make good on her word then that only furthered their belief that she would. Yet she was not doing that and if Saiai knew this then it should come to reason that Kamijou did as well. Only, between the two of them, one of these columns of people knew for certain what the Meltdowner's intentions were. Was it just a lie used to get a cheap scare out of him or did she truly intend to milk him for all he was worth?

That...last bit there was poorly worded.

"Tch, are you gonna come out now or do I have to make you?"

Remember that gut feeling Saiai had?

Yeah, that was swiftly overshadowed by a sense of dread.

Dread and realization.

Realization that, from the very beginning, this had all been a ruse. A means to isolate and draw a conclusion on something that may have been bother the Meltdowner for a while now. Was it possible that she had grown away of someone shadowing them? Certainly, it most certainly was possible for her to have noticed. Shizuri may not be acting in her usual ways but she was, nevertheless, an inhabitant of the dark side. No amount of deredere-ness could impair on one's instincts gained and honed from excessive exposure to that side of the world.

Again, Dianoid was geared towards the elite, so most who were here had a very different vibe.

That vibe of those spoiled rotten by wealth and fame differed very much from those who came to care less about those things. Everyone in the darkness stepped into that void for different reasons. While money may be plentiful, there was no fame to be gained; infamy, on the other hand, was abundant. Which is why those who dwelled in the dark did not go to places like these. To someone who has been around the block a few times, it only takes a few seconds of careful observation and you can tell who's hands were clean and who's were dirty.

Case in point, Mugino had guided the Stalking Trio here to weed them out of the crowd.

...so why did she not call her out directly?

How come she did not call her out by name?

"That took you a bit longer than I predicted. I'd say you scored somewhere around a 86; a passing grade but a little refinement wouldn't hurt."

The speaker in question was a girl garbed in a school issued sailor uniform and a long defensive-style skirt. Shoulder length black hair, her fringe tied back, and a body most young ladies her age would be envious of. In the best of terms, she was someone who had an abundance of mature charm in a specific area. Putting those aside, because reasons, something else about this girl stood out the most. This girl, somehow, seamlessly fit into this environment and did not look remotely out of place. It was not her appearance in either attire or figure that allowed her to blend in so well.

Her casual confidence, or perhaps indifference, that she exuded was what aided her in that regard.

A big contrast when compared to Touma, who did not fit in at all due to a shortage of calm mind.

And this yet to be named girl casually strolled on up in the direction opposite to Kinuhata's own location. With that same level of composure, she strolled up just as the #4 turned around to fully take in the image of the person she would be speaking to. Shizuri, however, did let her stern demeanor slip a bit once she had a grasp on who she would be talking too.

"Don't look so surprised, if anyone should be startled here it's me." Apparently this new girl noticed it too; which caused Mugino's visage to take on a more disgruntled nature. "I knew you shopped here frequently, but I never would have thought you would have brought _him_ of all people here. That boy can be pretty frugal with his money so seeing him of all people here was almost jaw-dropping."

"...huge tits, dark hair, huge forehead..."

"Hm? Are you referring to me or that Fukiyose girl who's imitating me? Let's go ahead and clear up one thing, my forehead is not huge but my chest is bigger."

Boing~

Saiai, for the second time that day, felt hollow and envious all in one setting.

Poor girl.

"I don't care, you're not the same person and that's good enough for me." From here Mugino stood up straight and leveled the girl with a cold look that commanded one's attention. "Now who the fuck are you and what the hell do you want? You've been snooping around for a while now and it's really starting to piss me off. Answer me in any way that I don't like and I'll throw you off this floor."

"Hoho, bold statement, not afraid of witnesses?"

"Avoid my question again and you'll see how much I give a damn."

"Fair enough." Undeterred to the point that it was unsettling, the girl took a spot next to the #4. Folding her arms on the guardrail while leaning most of her upper body forward; almost like she was inviting the girl to do it. "I was curious, I'll admit that, but you can rest assured that I have no intentions of causing any sort of harm. I just wanted to see what he was doing with such a dangerous individual like yourself in a place as gaudy as this."

"That explains one of my two questions."

"Partially, I partially answered your first question." At the sight of Mugino's twitching brow, a small bitter smile formed on the girl's face. "The second part of it is that I came to threaten you. I had at least several things I wanted to say, half of them I could tell you right here and now if I really wanted to. But I don't want to this to escalate into something reminiscent to a scene from a soap-opera, so I won't. I have a limited window of opportunity, so I'll settle with what I said before; I came to threaten you and only you. I'm sure you can guess why, I'm equally sure you can think of how, and I'm certain that you'll heed it."

"Sorry to tell you, but you're doing a shit job at intimidating me."

From her hiding spot, a certain Offline Stalker was nodding her head in dull agreement.

"I'm not here to intimidate you, I'm threatening you." Corrected the girl as a dangerous edge gleamed beneath the veil of two very calculating eyes. "If you think I'm no threat to you, then that's because I want you to think that way. If you aren't intimidated, it's because I haven't bared my fangs at you yet. Truth be told, I don't need to say anything threatening or intimidating. Because the moment I stood here, inviting you to throw me off from this floor, I've already proven my point."

Same girl then turned around, propping her elbows on the railing while leaning her back against it. Again, it was an invitation, although many could mistake her as being a delusional girl who was teetering back and forth on the tightrope. Her smile was cruel though it was not of the malevolent sort like Mugino. Paired with that calculating gaze, both completed a picture of someone who was aware of some tragic irony. Vexing was what it was, however alluring in the same way a moth is attracted to a flame.

She had, unknowingly or not, captivated both listeners with just her words and actions alone.

"I'm not afraid of you Meltdowner, just like _he wasn't afraid either_ ,and that is enough to unsettle you; isn't it?"

There was a visible change in Mugino's demeanor upon hearing this. From the second her shoulders had tensed, Saiai knew that this girl had struck a nerve. A tender one at that considering how her hands balled up into tight fists and her jaw stiffened. Yet this bizarre unknown woman maintained that same cruel smile and cold calculating eyes. From an outside perspective it almost appeared as though she was challenging her, daring her, to do something.

"It's threatening enough, intimidating enough, if anyone else showcases this behavior besides _him_. He is at the center in your little world, but the world you live in is very different and treacherous compared to his. That's why I'm here, that's why I'm threatening you, because it's very easy to exploit you once someone knows how. Just to be clear this is not a matter of me trying to force your hand into doing more dirty work. I'm here to threaten you, only you, and I'm only telling you this because I want you to hear it."

By this point Mugino looked to be teetering on the tightrope herself. Only her line was waning, surrounded in fire, and ready to break on a moment's notice. Shizuri's hands twitched, her lips forming into a scowl, and her teeth grinding together as she glared at this conceited young woman.

"You so much as go near him—"

"Can't avoid that, we are part of the same school after all." And just like that, the cruelness of the girl's visage vanished and was replaced with a new, chirpier, demeanor. "As I said, I mean no harm to him or you for that matter. Maybe I neglected to mention that part at the outset. Either way, I've made my point clear based on your reaction just now. On that note, aren't you glad that I was only snooping around because I was curious? Isn't it a relief to know that I have no intentions of doing either of you any harm?"

Shizuri was not about to stand for this any longer. That much became clear when her hand rose in a dangerous way. Murderous intent was evident in every fiber of her being as she glared over at this woman. This bitch who had the audacity to talk to her like she were her plaything. Saiai herself could only speculate that such thoughts were racing through the Level 5's mind. How easily she could kill her and the many alternative ways that the action could be carried out in just that moment alone. Mugino was willing, able, and was only a couple feet away from doing so at that moment in time.

A little bit more and she could do it.

Despite herself Kinuhata was on the verge of intervening; her little stalking adventure be damned. Not out of want to save this 'innocent' woman from certain death but for purely professional reasons. ITEM's leader could not afford to draw in unwanted public attention. Murder in broad daylight in such a public place would end with that unavoidable outcome. Something that she could not have, would not have, given how much value the Meltdowner brought to the table. There was, however, the unprofessional reason of simply not wanting to have her friend going to jail.

Yet, in the decisive moment where an action needed to be made, Mugino stopped. She stopped, took a few deep breaths, while retracting her arm to have it join the other across her chest. Her jaw, previously clenched, steadily relaxed along with her hands which were no longer twitching from anger. Her scowl remained, same with her glare, but it was not nearly as ferocious opposed to what it once moments ago. All of these changes had underwent in less than two minutes, which was something that was admittedly surprising to the Dark May Stalker.

"You've made your point." One could visibly see the level of restraint Mugino was demonstrating at this moment. Restraint did not directly translate into being polite. "Now get lost; I don't wanna ever see your face again."

This, in turn, caused the girl's expression to soften a bit as the frigidness in her calculating eyes became absent.

There was no mistaking, however, the bitterness that settled in its place.

"Don't worry, you won't see me again unless I want you to." Pushing herself away from the railing, she moved to depart from the scene as casually as she entered it. "You've won a fantastic prize, Mugino Shizuri, so you'll have to forgive me for acting like a sore loser. And while I can't say I approve of his choice in women, I respect him enough to bite my tongue."

Without so much as a proper farewell the girl proceeded to further distance herself from the Level 5. Taking the route in which lead her to pass the spot in which the Single Player Stalker was currently hiding. In that brief of her passing by, this strange girl looked dead in the eyes of the Offline Stalker. This was no fleeting observation, the girl had known she had been there the entire time. Further proven by her shooting an almost lazy wink in her direction as she passed. Such an action was unsettling because, for all she knew, Mugino had indeed spotted her and that girl had acted as a scapegoat.

Or perhaps she truly was caught and was only making a show of how easy she was to spot.

Both options did not leave a satisfying taste in the Dark May Survivor's mouth.

"What the hell took you so long!?"

Thankfully, as the Offline Stalker peered back out from her hiding spot, Mugino's gaze was no longer focused on the direction the girl had left from. Instead her attention was focused on the rapidly approaching form of Kamijou as he broke out into a light jog to close the distance between them. He himself would never know how appreciative his arrival was on all parties. At the very least he dispelled the unsettling feeling sitting at the pit of her stomach for the time being.

"Sorry, sorry, I was just—"

"Forget it, I'm done here for today, so let's go."

"Home?"

It's a trap you dingus.

Please stop looking and sounding so hopeful.

"Yes, Kamijou, we're going home."

...wait, wha, seriously?

* * *

Shizuri was seriously indeed.

From the moment she announced her want to depart, they did. Much to the surprise of all parties involved, seen and unseen alike. From there it was a simple decent back down to the main floor, a tram ride, and they had returned back to District 7. Delighted as he originally was, it appeared as though Kamijou too found this shift in attitude to be strange. More so by the fact that she did not seem all too pleased throughout their commute back. He could not be blamed for it as this change was a direct result of that strange girl's 'threat'.

Not only that but the #4 was noticeably more attentive with her surroundings than she previously had been.

"Basically, you think that girl was on our side?"

"Can't say that she's on anyone's 'side' but she super knew I was there."

After that face-to-face encounter, Saiai had reactivated the earpiece posthaste. She did not receive a warm reception when she did but the information brought to light quelled most of the heated remarks. Having been brought up to speed with the current situation, it did not take them long to temporarily reconcile their previous issues in lieu of the more pressing matters at hand. Namely in the heightened state of awareness Mugino had been in since that girl exposed herself.

"Should we lay low for awhile since, basically, Mugino's in high alert?"

"Maybe...that might been something we'll need to do for a while." While the current subject of their discussion was important, it was clear on her face that something more was on her mind. "If that's what we're deciding to do, then I think I know how we can super get those details we've been wondering about."

"Please tell me it's not the super sex ones. I'm not sure if that's something I want to know about."

"Would you knock it off about that already!?" Hissing into the reciever, this moment marked the second time Saiai almost broke the earpiece. It also marked the second time she would turn it off too, but she did not. "I'm talking about their history, how they met, the important stuff we're super in the dark about."

"Oh...basically, how do you figure we're gonna do that?"

"That girl, weirdly enough, seems to know more about them than we do. I'm not sure how true this is, but she might have been super spying on them longer than we have. If that's true then we have a means to find out the circumstances that caused these two to meet up in the first place. We find her, we can get that information ourselves, and get some much needed context."

All of the indications that could be classified as evidence lie in that girl's threat. She knew who Mugino was, who she really was, and did not seem to hold a care in the world. She covertly addressed the different 'worlds' in which the Meltdowner and her lover lived in. Her threat was not half-hearted, yet all the same it was not something to be considered an actual threat. If anything it sounded more like a veiled warning for the Level 5 to be more careful. Interpretation, however, was not always mutual and Shizuri very well could have taken it differently from how Kinuhata had come to perceive it.

"Basically, if all that is true, then yeah we should definitely jump on that."

"I'm super waiting for a 'but' any second now."

"...but, how do you plan to get into contact with her? She didn't give her name and all we have to go on is her looks. It's not like we can just waltz in and go looking for her since that Kamijou guy attends the same school; he'd recognize us, "

That was a big issue, a glaring one actually, but ultimately it was something that could be overcome. Time was not of the essence here, they had all the time in the world to figure something out. What they could not do was continue on the same path they had been on since discovering their leader's secret lover. With her becoming increasingly more aware of those around her, taking some time off from this method was the only option they had. Better to take a step back for now than risk being discovered later on down the line.

"We'll super figure something out." A weak response accompanied by an exasperated sigh as she was said it. "For now, let's call it a day and—"

Whatever Kinuhata was about to say came to a halt when she felt something wet abruptly landed on her forehead. A glance up was all it took to confirm that, indeed, the overcast from earlier had developed into rainclouds. Strange, Tree Diagram had predicted that it would rain tomorrow, not today. What started from one drop turned into two, then four; the intervals between each drop decreasing as time went on.

"Shit is it really gonna rain!?"

"...such misfortune."

As far as locations went, they were by all accounts back in District 7's usual surroundings. The parks, the chain of restaurants, convenient stores, and other familiar landmarks that were familiar to those native to this district. In terms of specifics, however, they were in a place that was close to the dorms yet still within the distance of a few hole-in-the-wall stores. Sorta like a boundary line that separated the two places apart without completely isolating one from the other; a hodgepodge of dorms and stores. Space was limited in Academy City and people who got these dorms were pretty lucky all things considered.

"If we run we could probably make it to my dorm before it gets too bad."

Much like how these two were lucky to be within close enough distance to where Kamijou's dorm seemed to be. Whether or not that had been their intended destination or not was a different subject for a future debate.

"Hoho, what's this, are you suddenly taking the imitative Kamijou?" Even in the face of the encroaching rain, Mugino somehow found it in herself to tease the boy. "I didn't think you were _that_ impatient to see me in that getup you have there."

"You're judging me. You're judging me right now aren't you!? You need to stop, stop it right now, Shizuri!"

She did not respond immediately, instead using this moment lean on him as she brought her leg partially up. A loud crack soon followed this action as she broke off the heel to her pumps, an action Kinuhata had witnessed several times before in the past. With a stable ground to stand on, she repeated the process; pointedly ignoring the look Touma was currently giving her.

"...I'm not ever buying you shoes if that's what you do to them."

"You've obviously never had to run in heels before."

"Uhuh, your right, don't ever plan to either. I'm still never buying shoes for you though."

"Oh shut up and run before we end up getting soaked."

And with that final comment, the two took off in a haste as more dark splotches started to litter the pavement. Having no idea that, in their wake, they had a left very concerned Stalker behind them.

What was she concerned about?

"Basica—"

"No, you be super quiet, I'm getting out of this rain and going home."

Saiai, apparently, already knew what Frenda was about to say. And she was not going to be hearing any more of that today. Nor was she going to such an extreme to find out the answer to her question earlier today. A stalker she may be, but a voyeur she personally was not. So as far as she was concerned, what they did in privacy of the dorms was their business.

Who was she to spy on them during their dokidoki deredere punipuni moments anyway?

...that was...a stupidly roundabout way of wording it.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

Here's hoping you guys were pleasantly surprised by Kumokawa's appearance here in this chapter. Told you that I'd be bringing in someone else. Plus, lets be real, if Touma got with anyone then she would be among the first to know about it. Close second being Misaki, but we'll get to her later...maybe. I picked Kumokawa because, well, I wanted to see if I could nail her personality as well as I do the others. Here's hoping you all approve of my rendition of Sore Loser Seria.

Now then, I figured I'd go ahead and inform you all that I have a poll on my profile currently regarding something important. I'd advice you guys to give it a glance and vote. I won't say what the poll is about here, mainly so I don't have to read it in the reviews. Selfish thing, yes I know, but its something that does not need to be discussed. I'm here to please you fellow Kamigino fans and if the demand is high then I will provide; simple as that.

One last thing. What do you guys think Kamijou's choice was in regards to Mugino's sexy underwear? Don't get weird (or do it anyway) but I'm curious to know what you all think. Creative answers will promptly get a chuckle out of me, might even be used.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	5. Intermission

Greetings to all!

If this chapter does not catch the attention of TV Tropes, I don't know what will.

What?

There's nothing wrong with having a goal to strive for.

* * *

In certain walks of life, there exist things that one may come to classify as being constant.

Something that has come to be part of one's daily routine; something that cannot go a day without being experienced at least once. This is not, however, something to be confused with what some people come to consider normal. Although the two may go hand-in-hand, there was one factor that differentiated the two. One may be written off and thus ignored; the other was something that had an actual impact on one's life. It was not something that just 'happens' and is thus classified as normal through the circumstances of consistency.

Rather it is something that 'happens to them', specifically, everyday.

"Such misfortune!"

Case in point: Kamijou Touma's perpetually bad luck.

Every day, without fail, some unfortunate happenstance or event would occur. That was normal, every person was bound to have a bad day so that part was not strange. Of course, for Kamijou, every day was a bad day because something bad or strange would only ever happen to him. At least that was how it seemed to be in his mind. If something could happen, mostly bad, then the chances were high that he would be the person who ultimately suffered. Stepping and tripping up on a discarded can on the ground; he's kissed the dirt from that before. Getting hit in the back of the head with a soccer ball; it's been done.

Coincidently running into a crazy lady with a knife fetish in a back alley; oddly specific but, yeah, that's happened too.

The point here is that, somehow or in some way, misfortune found a way to impose on his life. It never failed to live up to its silent promise of making his day-to-day life just a tiny bit more abysmal. Today was no different and somehow had managed to worm its way enough to bypass Tree Diagram's 'perfect' weather prediction capabilities. A new milestone for his misfortune, Touma would have been impressed if he did not have to run through the rain like he was doing now.

Instead he was beginning to think the mysterious force behind his bad luck was trying a bit too hard to get his attention. Like an annoying kouhai trying to garter the attention of an upperclassman they 'admired' by constantly nagging them day in and day out. What made that analogy so sad was that, once upon a time, Kamijou would have loved to have been playing the part of the senpai in that scenario. That and he has, on more than one occasion, imagined his misfortune manifesting into an image of a first year high school girl. Complete with a with a mischievous smile that showed off the cute little fang poking out when she talked or smiled.

...at least he got creative with it.

Cut the guy some slack.

"You yelling that isn't gonna make you run faster; move your ass!"

No, that was not his misfortune in human form yelling at him.

If it was, he likely would have punched them right then and there.

And it would not have only been one punch either.

It was actually the person who helped break his illusions regarding his date life. A person who just happened to caught up in that (jealous) kouhai's efforts to be acknowledged by him. Said person was none other than the Meltdowner, the #4 among the seven Level 5's that live within Academy City's walls. Those titles, however, were just the cliff notes above the 'Contents' box of a Wikipedia entry to him. What he took to calling her was Shizuri, Mugino Shizuri, and the title he selfishly cared the most about was the title of ' **His Girlfriend** ' that was written in bold.

That may sound superficial, but one could be assured that it was not.

"It can't be helped, besides I need to vent my frustrations somehow!"

Said girlfriend, upon hearing this, shot him a fleeting glance over her shoulder as the two continued to run through the rain. Bad enough as it was for it to rain, what made it that much worse was that it had rapidly picked up its pace shortly after they started running. What made the girl's nose scrunch up a bit was the fact that Kamijou, despite himself, was holding a certain bag tightly against his chest so as to protect it from the downpour.

"You'd run fucking faster if you weren't so concerned about that damn bag you twit!"

"You're damn right I'm gonna make sure it doesn't get messed up in the rain!" Kamijou's retort was supposed to be defensive, but sadly it came off as sounding petty instead. "I paid for this! This Kamijou was forced to go up to the register and pay for it himself! If this gets ruined then that's wasteful spending!"

Not sure if his priorities were in the right or in the wrong place here.

Let us go with the idea that these two's thought processes differed and move on.

"Fine, get drenched, idiots don't catch colds anyway!"

"You laugh but my misfortune knows no bounds! Even if I am an idiot I'll still end up getting sick anywaaaaay!"

What was more depressing: him calling himself an idiot or the unwavering faith in his own misfortune?

Tough call there.

* * *

Out of breath, soaking wet, and frustrated.

That was the state in which Mugino and Touma were in when they finally reached their destination. The dorms, the ground floor of Kamijou's dormitory to be exact, which thankfully provided enough shelter to shield them from the rain. Both were panting, Kamijou having leaned his back against the wall to catch his breath with Mugino beside him doing mostly the same. Even as they did this in their own respected ways one would see the wet spots and small puddles produced by the two from the water dripping from their clothes. Not the pretty picture in the world yet, all the same, not something they could be faulted for.

"The placement of your dorm sucks."

Kamijou could not really argue against that. Instead he just laughed, or tried to anyway, before breaking out into a light cough as his breath got caught. His efforts to make light of her statement did earn him a small tired smile from the girl beside him. This did not go unnoticed, nor did he fail to notice a single bead of water is traversed down her face. What made that significant was the fact that it showed how thin her blouse truly was as it clung to her damp frame. It did not help that he could see some of her velvet unmentionables through the fabric of her clothes.

"Up here."

"Huh?" Realizing too late that he had been caught, Touma coughed into his fist while averting his eyes. "L-let's go ahead and get upstairs. Any longer in these wet clothes and we really will get sick."

"Uhuh, sure." Her tired smile before grew a bit more lively from this exchange, having pushed herself off the wall once Touma started to move. "Hope you got something else for me to wear. 'Cause I'm not planning to be dressed in that the entire time I'm here."

"Stop thinking so little of me!"

Now it was her turn to laugh, one of good-natured mirth rather than the condescending cackles most would expect. Kamijou, lightly peeved by her jokes, simply sighed in resignation as the two trudged over towards the elevator that would take them up to his floor. Understandably he had taken the lead here for the sake of avoiding the tantalizing visage that was Mugino's body through her soaked clothes. He was gentleman at heart after all, plus he would argue that he was acting as a body shield for her in the event that another student was outside their room. Seemed she was thinking the same way since she was sticking herself particularly close to his back right now.

The pitter pattering of the rain beyond filled the comfortable period of silence between the two. Even in its absence after entering the elevator, both were too occupied dealing the discomforts of damp clothes clinging to their respected bodies. Neither made any attempts to dry themselves off, little good would come from it anyway. Although Touma did purposely keep his back to the girl with him, less he get caught unintentionally staring at her again. When the telltale 'ding' came and the doors opened, both parties were once again exposed to the pitter pattering of the rain, along with an unwelcome rush of wind slapping the two's drenched bodies the second they stepped off the elevator.

While it was not necessarily cold out, wind plus wet clothes did not equal a pleasant sensation.

"Hello~ Kamijou Touma!"

Someone was oddly chirpy despite the dismal weather.

That form of greeting belonged to a certain young maid who lived with her brother in the dorm next to his own. His wet shoes squeaked loudly against the floor as he came to a sudden stop, which in turn caused the girl behind him to bump into his back. Just as that occurred, the sight of that familiar maid approached in her traditional place atop a cleaning bot. Whether or not she saw the boy flinch just then was debatable.

"M-Maika, what are you doing out here?"

"Waiting, my brother hasn't come home yet." Was the concise response offered by the sweet young maid while the bot she was riding rotated in a clockwise fashion. "I'm starting to think that maybe he got caught in the rain like you did. I tried to contact him via text but I haven't got a response from him yet. You wouldn't happen to know where he is would you?"

"Sorry, I haven't seen him, so I'm not sure what he's up to today."

"I see, well I'm sure he'll send me a message soon." Kamijou had lost count of how many times she spun by this point, but eventually it came to a stop as she suddenly perked up. "Oh, that reminds me, I put your school bag in our room for the time being. I'll be sure to drop by to give it to you after you're finished settling in."

At least he could take solace in the fact that his school stuff would not be ruined by the rain as well. He had called the maid in training before he and Mugino had gone to the Dianoid as a favor. She did not seem to mind picking up his things as, in her own words, it was part of a maids duties. It helped to know that she was currently staying next door soi it was not a great incontinence to her. Now all Touma had to worry about was whether or not Motoharu would be upset to know he had his little sister's contact information.

"Thanks Maika, I'll send your brother a message too when I get a chance."

"Thanks Kamijou, now if you would excuse me, we have some wet floors to clean up."

Without further ado, the girl slipped passed the two with her cleaning bot into the elevator, hit descend, and disappeared behind the two closing doors. Kamijou was also glad that the girl did not pry into what was in the bag he was currently holding. Furthermore she seemed to only have business with Touma in that instance. Because she hardly paid any attention to Mugino throughout their short conversation. Probably for the best considering her current state of dress at the moment.

Speaking of that.

"...Shizuri, what's poking my back..."

He couldn't see her, but if Touma was to guess, she was probably rolling her eyes right about now.

"My nipples...it's getting chilly...why, don't like it?"

Show some tact and find a different way to say it!

We cannot be flip-flopping between T and M ratings here Mugino!

"...nope...just curious..."

You are not shaping up to be much better, Kamijou!

Disregarding the (ahem) pleasant exchange, Touma promptly carried on over to his designated door; fishing out the keys as he did so. Only as he went to unlock it did he dare to spare the woman beside him a glance. Unsurprisingly enough, despite her posture, he could see her lightly shivering even if her expression did not show it. He himself was not doing much better, his arms were getting pretty cold too. A turn of the key, a shift in the deadbolt and the door was unlocked, exposing him to the warmth his little home provided. Mugino did not loiter around either once the door was open, having nearly shoved Kamijou aside to get out of the wind.

"Aaaah, much better."

Kamijou did not bother to make a comment in favor of discarding his drenched shoes and socks.

"Feel free to use the bath first if you want. I'll put our wet clothes in the wash and see if I can find you something to wear 'til they dry."

Mugino, for her part, did not miss a beat and promptly followed in the boy's example. Following that she sauntered on towards the laundry room whilst Kamijou went further into the abode. As his mind went about searching for suitable change of clothes, he noted the lacking sound of the door closing, despite having seen the girl step through it. For that reason was why he turned, finding Shizuri's head poking out from between the gap in the door and the doorframe. She was looking dead at him with an expression which he could not read due to only being able to see her face from the nose up.

"Tch, I was hoping for a show."

Show?

He did not get it.

"What?"

"Nothing, forget it. "Apparently he missed something, but that was not all she wanted to say since she did not immediately disappear. "Figured I'd go ahead and tell you that my clothes need to be put through the delicate cycle, not regular. So do a separate load for your stuff while I put mine in."

Made sense, she did wear mostly fashionable clothes all the time, so that part did not surprise him. So he did not question it and simply nodded in understanding as she disappeared out of sight. She still did not close the door, which was bothersome on a different level of reasons. Nevertheless, he reasoned that he would just wait until he heard the water running before closing it properly. Without further thought he went back to his previous task of replacing his wet clothes. He had just managed to shed off the uniform shirt and the undershirt when a low whistle was heard behind him.

"That's more like it."

"Would you go already!"

Whirling around had, sadly (not really), been a poor (good) decision for him to make. Shizuri, once again by the doorway, had exposed more of her person and thus showcased the her current state of dress. Which mostly consisted a familiar piece of violet purple he saw earlier downstairs and not much else. At least as far as upper body was concerned as that was all he could see from this angle. Facing burning from his ears to his neckline, Kamijou's head hastily whirled back around. A reaction that, unsurprisingly, resulted in Shizuri's laughter from her place by the door.

"Puritan wuss."

What she said.

Kamijou wizened up here and chose to respond with a dismissive gesture rather than a verbal retort. He was satisfied when he heard the sound of the door closing, but not before feeling something soft hitting his exposed back. Having said that, once he was sure Shizuri was actually gone, he looked to the ground. At his feet was something thin, small, and looked like a velvet cloth. Picking it up, however, revealed two key things to him. One, they were undergarments and two, they were transparent once it was spread out. Upon this realization Touma suddenly felt something trickling down onto his upper lip. A quick flick of the tongue told him it was blood, his blood, dribbling down from his nostrils.

At least his body was responding appropriately; that was a good thing, right?

Honestly, what more was there to say here?

"...these are really soft..."

 _Besides that!_

* * *

The transition period between the two was much less of a hassle. Nothing like when Mugino had gone in transpired and it felt more like a tag-in from a wrestling match. A likely display of courtesy on the Level 5's part to just let the boy take his turn in the bath. A factor which Touma was grateful for all things considered. That said, when he finally returned from the bath, he was pleased to note that the girl had made herself comfortable. Sitting at the coffee table with her un-enthused eyes glued to the television.

She looked bored, a fact that was probably true, but that was to be expected given the circumstances.

Shizuri still had a towel bundled up over her hair but outside of that most of her clothes were his. Strangely enough she was not garbed in what he had left out for her. Instead of the typical T-shirt and sweatpants he left out Shizuri had chosen to wear his spare uniform shirt. Her bare legs hiding what was likely just a pair of boxers underneath. He could not confirm this, he did not want to as of yet, and as such his posture became noticeably stiff. A factor that Mugino did not fail to notice it seemed if the faint beginnings of a smirk were of any indication.

Although, to be perfectly honest, Kamijou would not deny that she looked good even in unflattering clothes like his. That, however, did not mean Touma was going to leave the Level 5 in the room unaddressed.

"I didn't leave those out." His voice was flat just like his stare. "Why did you use my uniform."

"That shirt was too constricting, this fits me better."

A casual answer to an equally casual question.

"And the sweatpants?"

"Clashed with the shirt so I didn't wear 'em."

Glorious.

Truly glorious.

No sarcasm there.

This was the same woman who once proclaimed herself to be in charge of the sexy side of things. Given what she flung at him he could believe it. Tempting a male in his own home, however, was not an ideal thing to do. Unless, of course, that was the intent from the start; which Kamijou doubted. Said boy just sighed, moving himself into the kitchen while ignoring the burning sensation on his cheeks. Now that he was refreshed and (mostly) comfortable, he decided now would be the best time to start working on making some dinner. A quick survey of his refrigerator told he all he needed to know, and thus began his preparations.

It would take awhile to make, not terribly long, but it would be time consuming nonetheless.

The added bonus here was that, unlike most times he made dinner, he would not be alone. Most of the time he only had the TV on as background noise. Having company was a big personal morale booster, double effective when said company was that of his girlfriend.

That was a matter that, even after almost four months, he still found difficult to fathom. Taking into account his rotten luck he figured he would spend most of his high-school years going without having any relationships of the romantic sorts. Much less in the form of a Level 5 beauty that was Mugino Shizuri. Sometimes he had to pinch himself to make sure this all was not some painstakingly long dream. Unlikely as that would be, Touma harbored those sorts of doubts on occasion with good reason.

Good fortune never came to him for free, he was not meant to have it; if he did then misfortune was not too far behind it.

Yet there was none, or at least nothing catastrophic like he had expected. By all accounts he did it, somehow, he managed to gain something he thought he would not until later on in life. Let it be known that he had been subjected to his own illusions being killed by Mugino early on in the beginning. What he had originally believed a relationship to be like turned out to be nothing like what he anticipated. Literature, movies, things of that nature did not even come close to capturing what a relationship was actually like.

That was not to say nothing was accurate, there were parts that fit the mold, but most other aspects were glossed over. Moments like now, for example, where the two of them were together in his dorm room. In manga both parties would be a panicking mess right about now. Or, alternatively, some other inconceivable occurrence would take place that would leave them both feeling awkward.

Yeah, none of that was here.

In fact both he and Shizuri had treated the matter quite casually. Her first visit was not all too different either, granted there was some apprehension in Touma at that time. Such nervousness disappeared after awhile though and eventually turned into what it was today. No different from how it would be if Tsuchimikado or Aogami were here in her place. While not quite the same it was close enough in regards to how much he and Shizuri had grown accustomed to one another. Neither of them knew what they were doing initially and it took awhile for them to adjust to each other's differences.

To this day they still had more than a few things to which the other disagreed with. Again, though, that was much like how interactions with his friends went. So, in hindsight, Kamijou had come to view Shizuri as not just a romantic interest but as a friend. That's ultimately what it came down to in his mind. A close friend of the opposite sex to whom they openly displayed affection towards. Overly simplified maybe, but if the description fit then that was how he would come to view it as.

"What're you thinkin' for dinner?"

Kamijou just about jumped out of his skin by said girlfriend's voice suddenly braking the silence. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he had not registered her entering the kitchen area. Her sneaking up behind him did not do him any favors either. Even so, he did not look up and instead kept his attention on the task at hand. Yes it was to avoid the very stimulating visage that was Shizuri dressed in the manner that she was. No he was not a puritan wuss, he was hungry dammit and sustenance came first.

Funny, that sounded a lot like an excuse coming from someone suffering denial.

"Oyakodon."

"Need a hand?"

This time, stopping mid-process, Touma did look at her. Looked her dead in the eyes with the same flat look that was used earlier. Mugino was not overtly skilled in regards to cooking, having witnessed her try a hand at it once before. Not to say it was terrible, he could eat it, but she could use some refinement. To clarify, she could make certain things, it happened to be that the list of things she could make was limited. Much like Kamijou himself who was no red haired protagonist in a certain culinary arts anime.

The best advice could he offer was to practice a bit more in her free time. As that had been how he got better since coming to live in Academy City as a boy. It must have amounted to something since Shizuri apparently liked his cooking enough not to openly complain about it.

So, if he was to guess, that was a plus.

Weighing the pros and cons, however, became secondary objective the longer he looked at her. Understandable given her state of dress and this time clearly seeing just how bare her legs were. His shirt did do a decent enough job at covering her from the waist down, so that was a plus (minus). But the image before him left much, too much, for the imagination to work with. It did not help that she had buttoned all except the top three buttons; exposing the mature valley for all the world to see. He did note that the towel over her hair had been removed despite it still appearing damp from the bath.

Shizuri, however, did not like being exposed to his scrutinizing gaze for long periods of time. Instead of crossing her arms definitely under her chest like he expected, she went with an alternative. She grabbed the hem of his shirt close to her exposed thighs with her fingers and gradually started to raise it. That made him turn away and resulted in familiar clicking of the girl's tongue.

You puritan wuss.

"S-sure, um, grab the chicken thighs and four eggs from the fridge please."

"Then what?"

"Leave the eggs by this bowl and start up the rice cooker. While I'm chopping the onions, you work on cooking the rice and cutting the chicken."

"Got it."

Oddly enough, from an outside perspective at least, the two seemed to work fine together. Clearly implying that this was not the first time they had done this. Mugino helping him cook in seemingly only his uniform shirt perhaps was a first, yes. Her sexy state of dress aside the scenario looked strangely organic. Like it was normal, routine, and ordinary by the standards of both parties involved. In a way it sorta was because, again, this was not the first time they had done this song and dance.

Thus Making it another obscure aspect of their relationship that most were not privy to knowing.

Information that some people, namely a certain trio of stalkers, would have otherwise found odd.

* * *

Dinner had been a mostly uneventful period for Touma and Shizuri. They had a few light conversations here and there between their mean. Beyond that, however, the two simply enjoyed it in comfortable silence; omitting the pitter-pattering of rain outside of course. Following that came the official, mandatory, after-dinner clean up back in the kitchen. Shizuri, being the guest here, was banned from doing so under those very grounds. To which she shrugged and went to turning the television back on. From there she proceeded to flip through channels, looking for something to watch.

Touma, for his part, was not paying it much mind.

"This rain isn't supposedly slowing down."

At least until he heard her speak up.

"Huh?"

Opposed to repeating herself, the Level 5 casually pointed to the TV once Kamijou's spiky head peered into the living room. What she was pointing at was the weather channel and the news anchor who was doing the report. Based on what was being shown Touma confirmed that, indeed, the storm was going to last for awhile. And 'awhile' did not mean a few hours; 'awhile' in this instance meant until early tomorrow morning. Casting a sidelong glance towards the screen door to his balcony he found that it was now raining sideways.

"No it isn't." Idly commented the spiky haired youth, his hand combing through his hair. "What do you wanna do?"

Walking back to her place was definitive 'hell no' so the only other choice she make was to call a taxi.

Shizuri, for her part, looked as though she could hardly give a damn.

"I'll take to spending the night here if it's all the same with you."

Ah...yeah, that was an option wasn't it?

As well as a good way to delve into another aspect of their relationship. See, it was already expressed that this was not Mugino's first time visiting his dorm. What was neglected to be mentioned before was that this was also not the first time she had stayed there. As in overnight, in other words slept here, and in other words shared his bed. They have done that before, once accidentally and once intentionally. Regarding the former, she just happened to fall asleep lounging on the bed with him one evening. Touma, being the decent fellow he was, did not wake her and instead opted for sleeping on the floor.

She ended up stepping on him the next morning.

Definitely a rude awakening if he had to say so himself.

By the by, he learned then that he was not into sadomasochism.

As for the latter of the two instances...let us say it was an _endearing_ experience. Nothing sexual happened, (un)fortunately, yet one must remember that Touma's bed was fit for one person. Which meant that there was little room for the two of them. Unless they made like two spoons pressed together; then it worked. And after the previous stay she had insisted that he 'grow a pair' and join her. To be fair this incident happened not too long ago, perhaps a month back if he recalled correctly. He almost did not get any sleep that night because of how nervous he was.

That and Shizuri's mounds were pressing into him the entire night causing for some... _discomfort._

What did not help in that instance was that Mugino was very clingy while slumbering. A fact that he quickly discovered after the Meltdowner had fallen asleep. Kamijou had yet to tell her that little detail and probably never would to tell the truth. He be couldn't be blamed for it, as a girl's breasts were still a girl's breasts after all. Plus it was a much better sleeping habit than her, say, snoring.

But that was all beside the point.

Mugino's suggestion was a key matter that he had to think on. Thankfully enough he had finished cleaning up the dishes a few minutes ago. Meaning he could apply the absolute maximum amount of brain power into his decision.

"...yeah, I suppose it should be fine." That was a quick deliberation there Kamijou, bravo. "As long as the dorm manager doesn't show up out of the blue, I don't see it being a problem."

"I'd love to see the fuck try and make me leave." Mugino, for her part, scuffed with a small measure of amusement at the notion of being expelled from the premises. "Being a Level 5 has more than a few benefits beyond just money and power."

"Yes yes, Shizuri, I already know the kind of benefits you're talking about." Was Touma's dry response as he removed himself from the kitchen with two cups of tea in each hand. "But remember that I'm the one that has to live here. You will need to go home eventually and, when you do, that's when he'll come for me. It'll be disastrous too; like a crowd of students after payday going for the half-off everything sale at the supermarket."

His manner of writing off the girl's statement earned him a yet another click of her tongue as he approached. Of course he was probably one of the few people in the whole city that could casually dismiss the likes of other Level 5 espers. Imagine Breaker was not a foreign concept to Mugino by this point, she knew how special his right hand was. Which was precisely the reason why she did not retort against what he was saying. Ironic that one of the most powerful counters to an esper was utterly powerless in day-to-day life. Which was why Kamijou's fears and concerns centered in every other criteria that was not supernatural related.

"Should I make these overnight stays more commonplace then?"

The spiky haired boy had to refrain from staring too long. Shizuri, even now, looked like she was modeling for some magazine cover. Her bare legs stretched all the way out while her arms held up the rest of her upper body. She was looking up at him with that self-assured smile and roguish gleam in her eyes. Every part of this girl screamed of mature charm that could not be replicated. Shizuri's state of dress, plain as it was, had been turned into something that exuded sexiness that he would not have known if worn on anyone else. Honestly, this much sex appeal was doing major damage to his heart right now.

Made him wonder exactly how he managed to become her boyfriend.

"I wouldn't be against that." No, he would not, and he apparently was not above admitting it. "Just don't make a habit of walking around my home with only my shirt and some panties."

His girlfriend's response to that was to immediately frown, which almost made him laugh. Almost because, following that statement, the girl sat up properly and hiked the hems of her (his) shirt up. What Touma saw, however, was not what he expected to find underneath. Instead of lacy garments like he originally believed it was a pair of black shorts. Modesty shorts, unflattering and unfitting for the whole image she had been giving off prior to that. Admittedly, if Kamijou had chosen to pay close enough attention, he reasoned that he probably would have noticed them much sooner.

"Happy now?"

Kamijou, in his moment of weakness, answered her honestly.

"...would you be mad if I said I wasn't?"

He got his answer in the form of the girl's impish smile.

* * *

The time was now 8:04 pm and the rain, as stated in the news forecast, was not letting up. If anything it was getting progressively worse as the night went on. Fortunately most people were hulled in their homes by this point in the evening anyway. Probably doing some last minute homework or watching something on the TV. The latter was what Touma and Shizuri were doing, albeit with a few glaring differences. While not the most visual difference was the overall lack of interest in the program which the couple were watching. Some action flick with a great deal of overacting for the most part.

Despite it clearly being bad, neither party was all too invested to care about it anyway.

The second, and by far the greater visual distinction, was their placement. Both were on his bed, Kamijou with his back slumped against the wall as his girlfriend sat comfortably between his spread legs. By comfortable he meant her leaning her back against chest while her head rested against his collarbone. Having nowhere else to put his arms, he opted to wrap them around her waist. His hands, having settled on her navel, were promptly joined by her own as they rested atop of them. Overall the two were comfortable, content, and indulging in the simple pleasantries such closeness provided.

The latter of these two factors played into the disinterest of the former.

While the movie may have sucked by most standards it was not all that important to begin with. The comfort value alone was what made this lethargic experience acceptable. Such was how Touma had come to view it, having lost interest some time ago as his mind wondered elsewhere. Specifically speaking, his mind was still trying to wrap itself around the entire scenario itself. Him, of all people, being in a position like this with someone so gorgeous as Mugino was quite surreal. Looks were not everything, outside appearances could be deceiving, and he was no stranger to that knowledge.

Let it never be said that Kamijou Touma looked solely for external beauty in the fairer sex. Mugino was no exception and, when they had first met, she truly was not someone he would have expected to have ended up with. Reflecting back on their first meeting, and subsequently the others that followed, he could admit to having found no likable qualities about her. Beautiful as she was in appearance it only stood to him, at the time, as a big contrast to her personality. She was crass, temperamental, condescending, and overtly prideful with her status as a Level 5.

Shizuri, back then, was someone who looked down on everyone so much that she would face upwards.

Disregarding the unoriginal reference, what stood at the core of the matter was that she was not appealing to him.

Those traits were only the tip of the iceberg too; as the more they crossed paths, the worse she became. Eventually it escalated to the point that he had come to see her at her worst, seen her for who she truly was. Yet, in spite of the wickedness, that horribly ugly aspect of her, he did not turn away or back down from it. He did not abandon her, he did not run away from her; in fact he did the opposite. Touma braved that side of her, confronted it, challenged it, and eventually overcame it. His sole motivation back then, his reasoning for doing so, was ultimately the same as it ever was.

Kamijou Touma saw someone who needed to be saved.

And like the many others before her he extended his hand with the intent to do just that.

What set her apart from the rest was that he was given the proper reward for his efforts. Her reward to him was her trust, her companionship, and eventually the key to her guarded heart. Cheesy as that may sound, Mugino was indeed a deeply guarded person in general. Shizuri had always lacked the luxuries of having someone close in a social sense to confide in. She had people she, in some ways, came to care about but even they were kept at an arm's length. That close connection with someone to convey her true thoughts and honest emotions had always been absent.

Such was the life she chose, having deemed such bonds to being more of a liability than an asset. Because, at the end of the day, the only one looking out for you was yourself.

That was what Shizuri had told him once upon a time.

And he had called 'bullshit' the second he heard it.

No person was born cynical, something usually transpired in their lives to make them become that way. Though his girlfriend may have yet to share those details with him, he was in no rush. Touma liked to believe that there would come a day where she would divulge those truths to him. When such a day finally did come, well, he would do what he had always done. For better or worse, Kamijou would still stand by her side regardless of what those truths may entail.

Perhaps then she could finally come let those sleeping dogs lie.

But those thoughts were abruptly turned to dust and tossed into the sideways rain outside. Reason being was that, in his musings, Shizuri had managed to forcibly disjoint his hands. That part was not what broke him from his thoughts however. The culpret behind that was the soft sensations that had assaulted the palms of his hands after the fact. Soft, heavy, squishy, and with a bit of hardness brushing against the webbings of his hands. It did not need to be spelled out to him to know precisely where his hands were. Touma's hands tried pull themselves away out of reflex, yet the effort was for naught.

Shizuri's warm hands were firmly pressed against the back of his own; leaving the appendages forced to remain where they were.

Let's be real though, Kamijou did not put much effort in resisting.

"...huh...no bra."

A short laugh emerged from Mugino's lips once she heard that. Following that her neck craned to look up at the spiky haired boy's face. He was not disappointed to find her smiling fondly up at him from her cozy position and leaning further into him as she guided his hands with her own. Their last date had been what opened the door for this sort of thing. Having been given the a full day to truly enjoy themselves, she chosen then to give him a taste of what was to come in the future. In a way, this was how she opted to teach him what she liked and what she did not.

The 'hands on' approach as she decided to put it.

Pun intended.

Of course this was all new to her as it was to him, so both had no real clue what they were doing. Which was why he let her take over for him and let her move his hands in the ways that she liked. Things like how much to press down on them or when to lighten up. Or like how she wanted them to be moved in a clockwise rotation yet still keeping the nub at the center pressed in the spot between his fingers. If that got boring then a simple inline and decline with his palms slowly dragging along the gradually hardening mammilla of each breast.

True that the fabric of the shirt did impede on the skin-to-skin contact, the material did add slight degree of added stimulation. Throughout it all, however, Mugino continued to peer up at him with as that familiar impish smile made its return on her lips. Her cheeks may have been growing darker and her breath may have picked up in pace, but she was still smiling nonetheless.

Probably because she could feel...ahem, _something_ , poking her.

Kamijou, despite his status as a novice, was not taking that smug look of her sitting down.

Leaning down, his lips lightly brushed against the edge of her own, an action that was returned in kind. Yet, instead of moving to make a direct kiss on them, he edged his lips away from hers, only to move back in and do the same in a different spot. A process that, after several failed efforts, earned him a dissatisfied look from the girl in his lap. Shizuri lips even went into a pout at his actions, which almost made the boy laugh. One must know that Touma did not get many opportunities to tease his girlfriend like this. But seeing her pout was a rare phenomenon so he felt some measure of pity and thus obliged her unvoiced command.

As their lips finally made direct contact with one another, one of the Level 5's hands removed itself from his own. From there it slowly moved up along the side of his legs and lower thighs.

Her target destination was pretty clear to him and he did not pretend to care. Too busy enjoying the sensation of the girl's soft lips against his own and the soft globes around his hands. Their individual breathing became more haggard and distinct as they inhaled and exhaled through their nostrils. In the moments where their lips parted they took quick gasps before resuming where they left off. The hand that Shizuri released soon found itself leaving the soft round flesh as it made its decent downwards; dragging along the underside of her breast and gradually making its way along her stomach.

By this point it was like playing a game of chicken.

Both him and his partner were encroaching on forbidden territory and yet neither of them were in any hurry to get there. Perhaps he had subconsciously been moving his hand to match the pace of her own. Because with every inch of progress he made she made the same degree of progress. If he slowed, she slowed; if he moved up she would move down. The anticipation swelling up inside him was building, bubbling, coiling tightly at this pit of his stomach like a spring. Yet, instead of closing the remainder of that gap, the gorgeous woman in his arms pulled her hand back.

Confusion intensified further when her lips broke off from his.

For a moment he thought that something was wrong.

Those concerns turned out to be unfounded as the loss of physical contact was only temporary. After she had broken contact she shuffled a bit in place until her front profile was completely facing him. This change in position put less strain on her neck and also allowed her to move the position of her legs. Formerly spread out in front of her, they were now moved in such a way that she could wrap themselves around his waist.

Kamijou himself was not idle here either, having moved a bit away from the back wall while closing his own legs in around her frame. Had he looked down he probably would have noticed that their pelvises' were barely a few inches apart from one another.

"Sorry, my neck was startin' to hurt."

Now it was Touma's turn to laugh as her warm hands found themselves joint together behind his neck. His own were at a familiar spots on her waist, although this was quick to change as the two picked up where they left off. As lips and tongues resumed without further delay, Touma's limbs slowly fell and rose up along her sides, bunching up the shirt until eventually he felt the traces of soft skin underneath.

A light shudder briefly overcame the girl once his hands had managed to get under the material to the exposed flesh beneath it. She always said his hands were cool on her skin and he could already feel the goose bumps rising off her from his touch.

All that served to do was make her squeeze her legs and thighs tighter around him and thus closing the distance between their bodies. This did not stop his hands from roaming uninhibited beneath the pesky garment. The warmth and softness of her skin was unlike anything he had every felt in his life. He could not get enough of the feeling of his hands glided along her smooth and soft flesh.

May explain why he was purposely moving them so slowly, feeling up every curve as if feeling a sculpture by a master craftsman. From her bellybutton on her flat stomach to the small bumps of her spine. Every part of her felt warm, smooth, and flawless; such was the sort of experience that Kamijou could not help but indulge himself in.

However, both their respected breaths' hitched after a particular action was performed. The culprit had been Mugino, whose face was now completely flushed red, who had moved her hips just a bit more towards him. This caused her to unintentionally grind her sex right into Touma's own aroused sexual organ. Remember, this was all still unexplored territory for the couple; at least this part was.

Their initial responses had been the result of surprise rather than discomfort. Both parties had noted the pleasure of the action and as such Shizuri repeated the motion again. Two times turned to three, then four, five, and so on. The more she continued to do this, the more both parties seemed to relax and enjoy it.

Yet the respective clothing each was wearing made direct contact impossible. On the other hand it did not make the sensation feel any less pleasant. So pleasant was it that Touma's hands shifted gears and traversed downwards to settle on another spot. Shizuri, upon feeling his hands on her derriere, seemed to have taken some small delight in his choice of action. Case in point being the moan she released as her lips broke contact with his own.

Hearing such a sound only made him want to hear it more, enticing him to forego obstructing them from getting out and instead move towards the side of her neck. As more and more soft moans left her lips, Kamijou made use of his grip on her rear to lift her up enough to make her practically flush with his body. By extension, the spiky haired boy was able to feel the muscles of girl's rear each time she would grind herself onto him.

Her motions were not simple either, he could feel them altering as time went on. One minute it would be a rise and fall while the next she would move from side to side. The only real control Kamijou had over her movements was to pull her closer by pressing down on her the cheeks of her tight round buttocks. In doing so he gained a vague outline of precisely what was pressing and pinning down the appendage at his crotch.

By now she was completely hugging his neck with her forearms. He could feel her breath hitting the side of his neck just below his ear left ear. A ticklish sensation struck him directly as he felt her tongue trail up along that same path before reaching his earlobe; gently nipping at it with her front teeth upon arrival. All of this, combined with both her breasts and stiff teats pressing into his chest, made for a delightful experience that could not be described.

At this point it went without saying that these two were extremely aroused.

Blissful did not even compare to what the two were feeling right now.

With Touma assaulting the side of her neck and Shizuri grinding her sex against him, anyone could tell that their combined libido was in full swing. Both knew what the other wanted and neither party was about to deny the other of that carnal desire. Such a notion did not even appear in their minds as a fleeting thought. Instincts were what guided their motions and actions in this time and place. No thinking was involved, no words were spoken, for such things were not necessary. All the two needed to do was act in accordance with whatever impulse came their way.

In the simplest of terms: these two were gearing up to have long session of sweaty, raunchy—

"Kami-yan!"

...or not.

At least they _were_ until everything got ruined.

Ruined by the sound of yelling and banging coming from the front door of his dorm. Both parties nearly jumped out of their skin at this abrupt disturbance. Snapped from their moment of intimate passion, Kamijou heatedly turned towards the door where the disturbance was coming from. He was not the only person glaring in that particular area either. Shizuri, however, could blast the damn thing off its hinges with her ability if she so pleased. Thank god his right hand was still touching her; otherwise she might have done just that.

"The fuck does your neighbor want?"

Touma listlessly noted his girlfriend's ragged breathing as she asked this.

She still did not turn her eyes away from where the door was.

"Don't know, I'm tempted to just ignore it and deal with him later."

Good answer, but sadly not the correct one considering the unwelcome visitor seemed to have no intention to leave.

"Kami-yan, open this door and explain why your school bag is in my room!"

Oh...right, now he remembered.

Tsuchimikado Maika had said she was going to drop that off later when they first got here.

Seemed he wasn't the only person who had forgotten all about it.

"I'm killing him."

"Don't do anything reckless Shizuri! I'm pissed off too but that's no reason to start causing trouble!"

Credit needed to be given for Kamijou's response time in terms of damage control. When Shizuri moved to get up he secured his arms around her waist to keep her from going up any further. Despite how her palm now found itself pressed and pushing against his face to force him off, he remained vigilant. That did not stop his neighbor from banging on the door with a distinctive increase in severity.

"I can hear you in there Kami-yan; get your ass out here!" Tsuchimikado Motoharu was sure as shit not going anywhere any time soon. "What were you doing with my sweet Maika-chan while I was away!? You already have a girlfriend now but I always knew that one girl wouldn't satisfy you nya! And I won't forgive you taking advantage of my dear sister's kindness! You're not getting away with having your way with her nya! Now come out! Show your face, you bastard, so I can add a few new bruises to it nya!"

...on second thought, maybe it would be better to let Shizuri go.

Was what he would have thought normally if the situation were different.

"Shizuri, let me settle this misunderstanding real quick, please! Less than a minute is all it's gonna take and he'll go away; I promise!"

In spite of her anger, his girlfriend tried to compose herself by taking a few deep breaths. Eventually her temper started to settle, although she still glared at the vacinity of the door with enough ferocity to melt steel. She did not give any verbal response, instead she gave a dismissive gesture; essentially telling him to hurry up. Shifting himself out from his position by the wall, and after a bit of adjusting, he moved with haste towards the door. To be perfectly honest, though, he wanted to cheap-shot the blonde in the face the second he opened the door just to get it over and done with.

Kamijou Touma could get pissed too, you know.

"Tsuchimikado, I'm opening the door; you punch me without letting me explain and I'll kick your ass!"

He did not give the blonde the courtesy to respond before doing just as he said. Lo and behold there stood his blonde, sunglasses wearing, friend and neighbor. He stood there with his school bag in hand as if waiting to present it as evidence in a courtroom. That and he looked about ready to deck the spiky haired boy right then and there; which was a mutual feeling to be honest.

"Nya, you have three seconds to explain."

"Fine, I asked Maika to pick up my bag for me since I got caught up in something important. Didn't want to take it with me, she said it was fine, picked it up and dropped it off in your room. That's the story, we're done now, _goodnight!_ "

"Not so fast nya!" The blonde's foot kept him from closing the door; which made Kamijou _reeeally_ want to punch him. "You contacted her even though you weren't here, where she was? If that's the case then that means you have her phone number...why do you have my sister's number in your list of contacts Kami-yan!?"

"Oh for the love of—" That was all Kamijou heard behind him before someone fully opened the door completely. "Take a fucking hint and beat it you piece of shit sis-con!"

This was being yelled _as_ Shizuri threw a perfect right hook to the blonde boy's temple. A sucker-punch from hell, or a person who thrived there, was perhaps the most powerful thing in the world. Second only to that of man who was getting cock-blocked by another man trying to start something. Or maybe it's an over exaggeration of the frustration both he and Shizuri were forced to deal with. Regardless, the swing connected and the results of that left the blonde flopping over to the side in a state of temporary unconsciousness.

Kamijou, for his part, simply stood there while owlishly staring at the downed blonde. Mildly stunned was one way of putting his reaction to the manner in which she dealt with the situation. Scarier than that was how her actions mimicked his usual method of solving problems.

"...not the best way to resolve the situation, but who am I to judge."

"Grab your shit and get back in here." Either she did not hear him or she pointedly ignored his commentary. Although traces of anger still remained, it was not (thank god) focused on him specifically. "We'll continue where we left off before this fucker interrupted."

Being real, they were just getting to the good part of that scene. Stained, yes, but within the realms of being salvageable provided there were no more distractions. With the threat neutralized, items secured, all that remained now was to resume the operation that had been temporarily paused. Shizuri, despite her outburst, looked quite fidgety on his bed as she waited for him to rejoin her. Touma did not think much of it though, chalking it up to being impatience rather than nervousness. Different as she could seem to some, he knew her well enough to tell the difference. Her anxiousness, however, was starting to make him nervous.

Originally he had been going with the flow of things.

Having to consciously reestablish the mood was going to be much harder than it was before.

It seemed, however, that someone up there was not having it. Because, as he was about to join his lover on his bed, yet another phenomenon occurred. A flash was seen from outside his screen door, followed by a roar of thunder loud enough to wake the dead. In that instant, the room of his dorm went black as if someone had blown out a candle. His TV, his lights, his alarm clock; every electronic device in his home shut down all at once. Leaving Kamijou, in all his misfortune-cursed glory, to stub his little toe against the leg of the coffee table.

You want to know what pain is?

"Gaaaaahahah!"

 _That_ is the sort of agony that brings men to tears.

Kamijou was no different.

Shizuri, thankfully, had the convenient countermeasure against the darkness. As the room was lit up by a small sphere of green energy, she gazed un-amusedly at the spiky haired youth currently clutching his foot on the floor. Strangely enough, if one strained their ears, one could hear the sound of Kamijou's will starting to crack and crumble away.

Actually it was the sound of him inhaling and exhaling loudly through his nose.

Easily mistakable, both sounded close enough to be the same.

Yet, after the pain in his toe faded, Touma did not move to the bed right away; instead he went to the screen door. A forceful push later and he exposed to the harsh sideways rain of the outside.

He gave so few fucks at this point.

"Can you just _once_ leave me alone!?" Shouted the boy, seemingly at god himself rather than the storm. Further emphasizing his anger was the continuous use of the 'knife-hand' gesture towards the sky. " _This_ can't even be considered misfortune anymore, you know! _This_ is just plain To-Love-Ru levels of misfortune and you have shit for taste! "

Feet wet, frustrated, and un-aroused, Kamijou Touma finally lost it and released those pent up frustrations all at once. Afterwards another flash of white lightning lit up the sky, followed closely by another boom of thunder. It seemed as though God had heard him and was apparently laughing his almighty ass off at the boy's plight.

Shizuri, in a rare display of kindness, did not comment on this bizarre behavior. In its place she just sighed, got up from the bed, grabbed Touma's hand, and pulled the boy back inside.

"Come on Touma, we'll try again some other time."

The spiky haired boy wanted to cry.

Even he needed to vent from time to time.

Seriously, cut the guy some slack.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

I already know that someone, at some point, will tell me they hate me for doing this. I can feel in my **_bones_** that someone is gonna be pissed at me. And you know what I have to say to that? Good, _gooood~,_ now you understand how Touma feels~! But there is the nagging concern that was not addressed the first time I did something close to this. I. Need. Critique on this matter. I am not good at scenarios like these. Romance has never been my strongest area so I need some input.

If any of you guys know a thing or two that I missed, tell me. Give me some pointers or something. Because if you want me to write any lemons I want to be feel confident that I can actually do that. I have never written one before so I need this sort of information. I've gotten this far from listening to the advice given to me by reviewers and I always have room to improve further. As long as its constructional I won't mind it. Even if it isn't I won't mind it, but give me something here.

Sorry for rambling but this is important to me as I want to improve most aspects of my writing. That goes especially in criteria that I admittedly see myself as being poor at. That said, if was indeed good and you got successfully punked, please leave this [ 凸(¬‿¬) ] in your review. I'm serious, I wanna know if I genuinely got anyone with this. I know you can't copy/paste it from here, but there's a japanese emoji text site that has it; shouldn't be too hard to find.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	6. Rendezvous

Greetings to all!

I'd say something smart, witty, and funny here.

But I'm none of those things.

Shout-out to **FrodoFighter** for critiquing this chapter for me! Great dude, pointed out some factors I didn't consider before and I'm glad I asked for his help.

* * *

There is a saying somewhere that, in life, there is no such thing as coincidence.

Everything, from the most grand to the most miniscule things, happens for a reason. Nothing in this world simply 'happens' for no reason whatsoever. Large or small, every incident had an overarching purpose that we, as individuals, cannot fathom. Of course people will counter that belief in any way, shape, or form they can. Be it logical or illogical, people will refuse to believe in something just because they cannot see the overarching purpose. Nothing was wrong with that, it was a very human thing to doubt or shun something they do not fully understand. But all the same there was some comfort to be had from this belief.

Take Frenda for example.

This fluffy blonde girl held onto this particular belief. If she did not die on a job then she took it as a sign that it was not her time to do so. Killing others merely 'upped' the chances of her survival, meaning that her odds went up with every life she took. Factors like skill and experience did play a large part in her survival up to this point. And yes the foreign blonde girl could also (begrudgingly) admit to making mistakes from time to time on the job. Yet, in spite of those mishaps, she did not die, overcame the odds, and ultimately came out of those instances alive.

It was not a matter of chance, fate, or anything else of the sort.

She lived simply because it was not her time to die; plain and simple.

Such was her belief anyway.

Speaking of Frenda, for once we did not find her in the presence of the other members of ITEM's small circle. She was alone this time around, currently roaming through District 7 doing her own thing during her time off. The weather was humid, hot, with an absence of any wind to help cool things down. By this point it should be inexplicably clear that summer was in full swing. On top of that it was a Saturday, mid afternoon, roughly somewhere between 1:00 and 1:30pm. That meant that most schools were dismissing students around this time since today was a half-day.

Frenda was one of those people and thus was exposed to this blistering heat.

"Just a few more days left and basically summer vacation starts."

Who talks to themselves like this?

...rhetorical question: do not answer.

Perhaps this was just a means to put herself into a better mood and ignore the heat wave. Should that indeed be the case then, suffice to say, it was not working. She still appeared to be looking miserable as she trudged along down the road. Cumbersome was what it felt like, especially with her school bag hanging on her shoulder. Her goal was to simply get home and indulge in the cozy confines of an air conditioned room. From there she would just lounge around the apartment until the rest arrived. That remained to be the plan, albeit the process of getting there felt like it was taking forever to accomplish.

"Basically, I gotta get out of this heat..."

The Frenda does not do well in heated environments it seemed.

You would think she would considering the fact that she uses explosives.

Disregarding that for now, Frenda's motivation to proceed straight home was starting to become more and more difficult. Obviously considering how her eyes were scanning her surroundings in the hopes of finding comfort in the shade. Several places did catch her eye, mostly outdoor cafes selling products to stave off the dreaded heat. However, as she took in her environment, her sky blue orbs caught sight of someone who stuck out within the crowd. Well, he stuck out to her at least considering how often she had to look for him. If not for the circumstances surrounding him then she probably would not have noticed him.

Kamijou Touma, the one person who she had not seen for quite some time.

Roughly three weeks time if she were to try and be specific.

Now here he was, across the street from her, in his usual uniform and looking just as hot and miserable as everyone else. Also, not hot in the case of attractiveness; heavens no she did not find him attractive in the slightest. Frenda did not perk up from seeing him out here due to him being eye-catching, definitely not. In all truthfulness she had come to miss stal- observing him and Mugino over the past three weeks. As Kinuhata had suggested, she and the rest of the Stalking Trio had mutually agreed to leave the two alone. Mostly to give time for Mugino's guard to lower and thus avoid being caught.

In this instance, however, Kamijou was alone and seemed to be making a beeline for a specific destination. Despite her previous intentions, Frenda could not contain herself. She was inquisitive as to what the boy was up to; of that she could not deny. Plus, as she said once before, there was a great deal about the two that she and the others did not know. To that end, what was the harm in checking up on the boy that had somehow caught the eye of ITEM's tyrannical leader? So long as Mugino was not around, there should not have been too much of a problem to scoping out the boy when he was by his lonesome.

"Now, where are you heading off too lover-boy?"

In the unlikely event that she got the chance, she would be sure to thank him for having spiky hair. If it was not for this factor then she most certainly would have lost him in the flood of folk. Based on what she could see, from her place across the street anyway, he did not look to be in any hurry. Wherever he was going he was taking his sweet time in getting there. At least that was how it seemed anyway, for all she knew the heat may have enticed him to pick up the pace a little bit. Hard to tell when she was only able to see the back of his head.

She could only hope that he got there soon.

Seriously, this heat wave was killing her.

* * *

Fortunately for her, it did not take long for her salvation to show itself.

Said salvation came in the form of the moderately sized park; one which she was growing increasingly familiar with.

Actually...

"Hang on, I remember this place." Granted it took her a few moments but she did in fact recall seeing this place before. "...yeah this is basically where we found Mugino waiting for him the first time."

Thanks for the exposition, but please stop talking to yourself Frenda.

Her verbal musing, however, did raise quite a few curious flags. What was he doing here on a Saturday afternoon after school? What was the point in coming to a place like this? Surely it could not be the scenery as there were plenty of parks like this littered around the district. A rendezvous theory was not a far-fetched one considering who this person was. As there was no doubt that this place could be where he agreed to meet with Mugino. Yet that did not answer the question as to why this place in particular was chosen.

"It's a pretty weird location for basically a simple meet-up if you ask me." Nobody _is_ asking you Frenda, so why are you still talking to yourself like a crazy person? "Besides, Mugino's school is nowhere near this place; so why meet him here instead of somewhere closer? I mean, this is pretty out of the way for her."

Discarding the fact that she was talking to herself, Frenda's voiced inquiries did have some merit to them. Which further spurred the blonde girl's belief that this place was chosen specifically.

So then why; what was it about this unassuming land that was so important to set it up as the meeting place? Was this another factor that was tied into the secret origins of their relationship? Or was she, perhaps, reading into this too much and making baseless assumptions? Surely that stood as a possibility all things considered and given how critically she was looking into every small detail. Over speculating sometimes gave rise to radical theories that ultimately turned out to be inconclusive.

Despite that awareness Frenda did not discard her initial assumptions for the time being. Nor did she stray too far behind Kamijou as he kept down the path leading deeper into the park. She continued to keep those thoughts and follow him in spite of the risk of running into the #4. Nothing could be gained through inaction in an investigation as grand (not really) as this. The Curious Case of Mugino Shizuri's Love-Life was a mystery she fully intended to solve.

Which, when put in that way...actually sounded like a title to a story.

Oi, Frenda, next time be sure to grab a note-pad!

This could be a gateway leading towards a cleaner career path for you!

Future occupation aside, Frenda silently thanked this District's planner for the park. Thanks to the abundance of trees most of the paths were in heavily shaded areas. With the lack of sunlight baring down on her she was able to actually feel some relief by comparison to the open streets like before. You would think that the many high-rise buildings would provide at least some shade. Sadly they did not, or at least not enough by comparison to this place. A likely reason was due to the flora and fauna constantly providing dimness thanks to its constant exposure to the sun. Either that or it just gave off a cooler atmosphere due to the water sources scattered about in the park.

Sprinklers, ponds, fountains; things of that nature that subtly implant the suggestion of a fresher, less humid, environment.

It would explain why people liked to visit parks like these so much. Everyone needed an escape the dull and sometimes cold confines of the concrete jungle. Exchanging that for the vibrant greenery of this or any park was a welcome and necessary change to some people. Sure there was the mountain plains in another district but that was too far out of the way for most. There was also the fact that there was fuck all to do except soak up the landscape.

And that got boring after five minutes or so.

"Ah-ha! There you are!"

Frenda, in her state of bliss, balked as a result of this sudden announcement.

"Shit!"

Panic set in as she practically slammed her back into the trunk of the nearest tree the instant the voice was heard. The harsh nature of this action erected a painful throb from the base of her neck to the small of her back. Such a thing, however, mattered little in the grand scheme of things. So long as she was not seen then the price of this pain was totally worth it. Based on where the voice had come from it was safe for her to assume that she was unlikely to be noticed. Said voice came from two o'clock, making its origin in front of both herself and Kamijou.

"...are we really doing this again?" His tone did not belie his exasperation as his question was followed with a loud sigh. "I thought we were past the point of you trying to ambush me at every turn biri-biri."

Ambush? What sort of person announces their presence in an ambush!? That was like screaming out 'Sneak Attack!' mid-charge after successfully avoiding detection!

Also, what was with that nickname?

"I told you to stop calling me biri-biri already!" Ah, looks like _someone_ also did not approve of the little pet-name either. "I have a name, it's Misaka Mikoto, and it's not that hard to remember idiot!"

Misaka Mikoto.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?"

...Misaka Mikoto...

Nerves returning, Frenda took the moment to peek her head out from behind the wide truck of the tree. The first person she laid her eyes on was, of course, Kamijou's back. From there she simply had to follow the direction in which his spiky head was facing. Sadly the girl's full visage was not as clear as it otherwise would be thanks to some of the foliage obscuring her vision. She was, luckily enough, able to make out her facial appearance; notably the girl's short chestnut brown hair and the plain looking hairclip. More than that, however, Frenda was able to see something else as that helped jump-start her memory.

That being the sparks of electricity dancing along the fringes of her hair. Said sparks grew in intensity the longer her narrowed eyes gazed at the boy. Her agitation was quite clear and she did not appear to be showing any measure of restraint in terms of controlling herself. Which was never a good thing considering how a single careless action could result in an accidental catastrophe. Of course Frenda was not about to run up and tell the girl this; nope, no sir. Even if she wanted to, the blonde had a sneaking suspicion that the girl loved by electrons would not heed the warnings.

Because at this point the girl was able to match the name with the power currently being put on display. This girl, Misaka Mikoto, was most likely sporting a Tokiwadai uniform. Which meant that, if her assumption was correct, this was the presumed 'Ace' of Tokiwadai, The Railgun, and the #3 Level 5. And, by default, someone who Frenda would stand no chance against as this was a girl who stood in the same place as Mugino. That knowledge, that awareness, was enough to almost make the blonde back-peddle out of the immediate area; key word being _almost_.

She braved the threat of Mugino's wrath on several occasions in the past.

If she could brave _that monster_ thenshe could tackle this one all the same.

"Sure sure, whatever you say biri-biri." Responded the boy as he rummaged his hand through his spiky hair. "Did you need something from me? I've got plans today so you'll have to excuse this Kamijou if he isn't in the mood to play."

Touma, it seemed, did not get the memo about who he was currently dealing with; that or he did and chose not give a damn. Hard to say, he did woo one Level 5 already, and that very well may have been the key to his success in that department. Granted that did not stop Frenda from openly gaping at the sheer audacity Kamijou had. Talking to a Level 5 in this manner, especially with said Level 5 showing signs of open hostility, was practically a death sentence! Did dating the Meltdowner inflate his ego or was he stupid enough to not know who that girl was!?

No, he had to have known who she was.

He had to know she was a Level 5, right?

"I've been taking this seriously since the start! Stop writing me off like some delusional child and fight me seriously already!"

"Fight you? Why would I ever seriously fight some rich middle school girl?"

His answer did not come in a verbal statement from the rich girl in question. Rather it came in the form of a mass of electricity collating to a single point near the base of the girl's forehead. As the overall output of electrical energy continued to climb the girl's visage grew increasingly less visible thanks to the light such energies were generating around her. Blinding was what it was, so much so that Frenda had to shield her eyes just to keep herself from seeing spots. Even then it did not help and as such she eventually had to duck back behind her cover to avoid directly looking at it.

Because of this she was left unable to witness the inevitable outcome that followed.

"Gaaaah~!"

Mhm, yup, that was the sound of barbeque boyfriend.

"Mugino's not gonna be hap—"

"Are you crazy! Can you at least do that somewhere that won't cause the surroundings to catch fire!?"

Spots may have littered Frenda's vision, but that did not stop her head from shooting out from behind the tree once more. Lo and behold she found Kamijou Touma still alive and well; completely unscathed from the #3's assault. How? How did he accomplish such a feat? She saw it, he was obviously attacked, and yet there was not even a blemish on him. Aside from his raised right hand he did not even appear to have moved an inch.

"D-don't be stupid, I made sure to keep the output low enough to avoid that from happening! B-besides, it's your fault for pissing me off with your stupid comments anyway!"

"Don't lie! You completely forgot and it's only dumb luck that nothing caught fire!" Frenda had to take Kamijou's side on this one; that was pure dumb luck. "Also how is it my fault that you get upset so easily!? Blaming your insecurities on other people is bad manners! Don't they teach you that in that fancy school of yours!?"

"S-shut up idiot! What's rude is you treating me like I'm some little kid! Now quite messing around and fight me seriously dammit!"

Bolts of electrical current shot out from her person as she put her foot down. Literally, the simple action of stomping in place caused this, although Kamijou was not close enough to suffer from the effects of the action. It did, however, cause the bulbs from some of the lamp posts near them to burst thanks to the overcharge. Still, Kamijou looked about ready to take action; knees bent and his grip tightening around the handle of his school-bag. He looked ready to fight, which was laughable in itself, but all the same something that perked Frenda's interest.

Sure, there was no doubt he would lose, but the subject of his Esper ability had been a nagging question in the back of her mind.

"Nope, too busy, gotta go-bye~!"

And then Kamijou proceeded to run away.

Surprised yet?

Did not think so.

"Oi, you get back here and fight me dammit!"

Mikoto, in her frustration, did not waste a second in pursuing the spiky haired boy as he went deeper into the park. Thanks to their individual positions, Touma was fortunate enough to have had a reasonable head-start. Skipping a few steps near the base of the stone stairs rectified that; making Mikoto not too far behind him. In the aftermath of their departure there was absolute stillness in the area. No movement to speak of whatsoever. One could truly feel the tranquility in the air as a soft breeze swept through it and rustled the leaves from the trees above.

Quite an experience, plus the breeze felt nice given the current outdoor temperature.

"GAAAAAAAAH!" Was the frustrated wailings of the solitary stalker who was currently engaged in tugging at her own hair. "Pansy! He's a huge, spineless, uninteresting pansy! Show some backbone, do something cool, be manly; I don't care what! But basically do something _,_ _anything_ , that makes sense of why Mugino's dating your cowardly-ass!"

Ouch.

Um...

Words hurt Frenda.

Given how loud she was being it was certainly a good thing she forestalled her outrage for as long as she did. Otherwise it would have definitely landed her some unwanted attention. She needed this though; needed to vent out her frustrations. There was really no telling what she would do if she did not let those bottled up exasperations out here and now. Shoot, if she had not done so, she may have ended up cheering the Railgun on in the background.

Did that imply she was going to stop pursuing them?

Hell no, if anything it made her want to watch the #3 turn the idiot into a taser victim.

To do that, however, meant that she had to catch up with them first.

* * *

Seemed as though Frenda was blessed with good fortune today. For it did not take long for the blonde girl to eventually catch up with the duo. It was due largely in part to the Electromaster's consistent usage of her powers as she gave chase to the unlucky Kamijou as he ran. Hard as it would be to miss the several bright flashes of light even through the vibrant foliage that made up the park itself. Although that did serve to aid Seivelun in locating the two parties, it did not alleviate her worries about treading too close.

Not that the issue of closeness was something to be concerned about.

"Ha...ha...oh my god how can anyone be running around in this _heeeeat!?_ " The Frenda, again, does not fare well in warm environments. "Bah...bah...basically, why couldn't they do this on a cooler day or something? Don't they know overexertion during high temperatures can lead to heat strokes?"

Bear in mind that the temperature was around 33 degrees Celsius; or roughly 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Meaning that it was indeed pretty hot out and Frenda's woes were justified to some degree (heh). That did not forgive her from her pathetic form when chasing after the two individuals. Nor did it forgive her for having allowed such a large gap to stand between her and the target's she was pursuing. Caution did not excuse this display of physical ineptitude by any margin.

Perhaps next time Frenda would do well in remembering to keep herself hydrated.

But let us digress from the wellness topic.

Even with such a degree of distance separating her from the others she could still see the bright flashes coming from her front. The hairs on her skin stood on edge due to the amount of electricity still lingering about in the air around this place. Scorch marks, a direct result of the Tokiwadai girl missing her target, were scattered about in various areas along the otherwise unblemished pathway. Frenda could even detect the lingering smell of nitric oxide caused by the Electromaster's use of her ability.

Yeesh, restraining yourself much biri-biri?

"Ha...ha...seriously though, how is he not dead yet?"

We will pointedly _not_ question why the blonde was _still talking to herself_ and instead focus on the question itself. How did Kamijou manage to make it this far and survive of so long? Especially taking into account that this was a Level 5 and the typical Electromaster behind it. One would be inclined to think that someone like him would not pose much of an issue to the girl; yet that proved to not be the case. Rather it was the opposite, Touma was proving to be a bigger hassle than what was to be expected of him. Nothing about that statement was normal; not even in the slightest.

So what was he doing that made him so elusive to even the likes of a Level 5?

Such were the stagnant thoughts of the fluffy blonde girl as she pathetically chased after the two. Although her resolve was still primarily tied to seeing him get turned into quivering mess at the hands of the Railgun. However, there was no denying that finding an answer to that nagging question was of equal importance.

 _Mostly_ equal anyway.

As in, like, just barely landing in second place sort of way.

Eventually, however, Frenda came to see that the distant back of the Railgun start to disappear. Not due to distance but rather because her form had seemed to descend downwards; indicating steps. This blocked perspective did not prevent her from seeing yet another bright flash of electricity beyond the horizon.

"—top running away and just fight me already!"

"Didn't I already tell you that I'm busy today!?"

That was the verbal combat that was taking place as Frenda came closer to the spot she saw Misaka descending from. What she stumbled upon was a small little resting area with a table, two chairs, and a vending machine. It also served as an intersection for three other paths with some leading into or out of the park itself. While the spot by the steps was not particularly great, the area below did have a few patches of shade that could provide some comfort to those who needed relief from the glaring sun above.

Most of those details were overall irrelevant at this particular moment in time. The only piece that did hold any relevance was the vending machine, as that was what Kamijou currently had his back pinned against. As for the Railgun, Misaka Mikoto, she was standing directly in front of him. It should also be mentioned that he was currently on his ass, meaning she was looking down on him; completely with her hands on her hips and everything. She must have tripped him up during that last lightning strike of hers, though it's hard to say for certain.

Certainly not the most ideal situation to find oneself in; back against the wall (vending machine) with no escape route in sight. Such a scenario would be bad in any situation regarding an Esper. It was made worse by the knowledge that this Esper was a Level 5.

"Yeah yeah, your busy; so you keep telling me every single time we meet." The monotony that stood apparent in the Railgun's huffy tone was the only thing that overshadowed her vexation of the topic itself. "What's got you busy this time then? Is it another sale at the supermarket or is it you trying to find some lost cat? Or is it some other excuse to avoid taking my challenge seriously?"

"It's nothing like that and it's not an excuse if it's the truth!" Hard to tell if his rebuke was in defense of the previous encounters, this one in particular, or both. We will just assume he means both and carry on. "Besides, even if I didn't already have plans, I wouldn't seriously fight some rich girl who's still in middle school! Honestly what do you think this is; some sorta Shounen battle manga?"

If that last part was reserved for only himself to hear then he failed. Because if Frenda, who was at a much greater distance, could hear it than so too could Mikoto; who was literally right in front of him. Sure enough, following those words, came a nice dusting of red tint across the girl's cheeks. Whether or not it was due to being flustered or the heat was anyone's guess.

"W-what's that supposed to mean!? The only reason I even waste my time on you is because I haven't been able to beat you yet!"

"Uh-huh, right; so when are you gonna stop 'challenging' me to these fights exactly?"

"After I beat you, obviously." Stated Misaka casually, her arms crossed and her chest puffed out in clear assurance of that particular outcome. That smug pose was discarded, however, upon hearing him sigh; which caused her to stomp in place and harshly jab her finger at him. "Would you knock it off with that reaction already! You're not some old man so quit trying to act like one! Besides, it's not like I enjoy this crap any more than you do!"

"Why do I find that last part so hard to believe?" It was Kamijou's turn to use the exasperation card with his tone while using the vending machine to help him return to a standing position. "This'll never end and this unfortunate Kamijou will continue to be ambushed. It's like those enemy encounters in an RPG; it keeps happening no matter how times I select the 'run away' option."

It seemed as though these two had a bit of history; a _lot_ of history in fact. But it was not as if the two were being all too illusive about that particular knowledge. Only the blind and deaf could miss what was already clear since the moment the Railgun initially made her introduction. Now what had to stand at the forefront of Seivelun's mind was—

"I wonder if that vending machine sells black soybean tea."

You are straight up _ruining_ the narrative here Fren da!

If you're gonna talk to yourself then at least say something relevant!

Putting aside Frenda's (useless) commentary, it seemed that Kamijou's words sparked (heh) something in the Railgun's eye. Well, it would probably be more accurate to say that the spark originated from the fringes of her hair. Soon after sparks transitioned into narrow and wide arches of pure bright electricity dancing around her frame. Such a sight was enough to break both the blonde and the boy from their previous mindsets. Given the output it was made evident that the girl had no reservations about using her powers to a greater degree.

Even if it was on an otherwise normal high school boy.

"Hehehe, so you're saying I'm so weak that I'm not even worth the hassle of fighting." That laugh, that closed eyes smile, that sweet tone; none of those things fit with her clinched fist and tense jaw. "Is that what you're trying to say to me?"

"Wait, hold on, time out; I didn't say any of that!"

Too late, Misaka Mikoto had reached the point of not giving a damn about anything he had to say. Touma must have known that as well because he raised his right hand up as if to meet the girl's assault head on. What he hoped to accomplish was beyond Frenda's knowledge. She could not mentally stress enough that this was a Level 5 which he was dealing with. He knew that just as well as she did due to the obvious past encounters. So what did hope to do in this situation? She did not know, which was why she continued to observe despite what the bright light of electricity was doing to her eyes.

"How many times do I need to tell you _to stop messing around with me!_ "

The Railgun's outcry came just as she had drawn a significant amount of her electrical output to a central point. Although, in all likelihood, this was probably not even a drop in the bucket compared to what she could really do. Nevertheless, that point of gathered energy then proceeded to rocket forward towards the person to whom her ire was directed at. By all accounts this was supposed to be the crowning moment of Frenda's day. It was supposed to be the moment where she would finally see that cowardly bastard get reduced to a spazzing, twitching, fizzling mass of flesh.

That outcome was what was supposed to happen at this particular moment in time.

But instead the electrical discharge curved away to the right and instead struck the waist high wall instead.

"W-wha?" Frenda's anticipation quickly morphed into shock and disbelief. "D-did he do that? Is that why she could never hit him even after all this time?"

No, Frenda, that was not the case.

The cause of this phenomenon was far less complicating to explain.

"Oi-oi-oi, what the hell's goin' on here?"

"...eh?"

The fluffy blonde stalker had an immediate reaction after hearing that particular voice. Her hand slapped over her mouth whilst simultaneously trying to make herself appear as small and concealed as possible. The others present had a different set of reactions upon hearing the girl's heels clapping against the asphalt. Touma, his right hand lowered, looked mildly relieved whereas Mikoto appeared to be visibly confused. For the beautiful and sexy visage of Mugino Shizuri came strolling towards the scene from the path opposite the Railgun's current position.

Her own hand was raised, indicating that she was the culprit behind the altered trajectory of the Railgun's attack. She was garbed in a standard sailor uniform, opposed to her usual high-spec form of dress, complete with her schoolbag still in her free hand. Her tone itself carried heated overtones that cleanly matched the current facial expression she now sported. But this vocal interruption was not meant to be just her introduction; it was also meant to be a deterrent.

Kamijou's relief suddenly contorted into concern.

"...who's the hag?"

Kamijou's concern contorted once again; this time turning into pure dread.

A reaction which was mimicked by Frenda, who nearly palmed herself at how careless the statement was.

 _Gathunk!_

Even the Vending Machine had an appropriate reaction!

"Um, biri-biri, could you apologize...please... _as in right now please!_ "

"Hmm...sorry, didn't catch that, you wanna say that again little brat?"

Oh crap.

Things are starting to get bad.

"W-wait a sec Shizuri, stay calm, she didn't—!"

"Oh? I'm sorry, did you lose your hearing aid or something, hag?"

Things are starting to get _wooorse!_

"Ignore that! Be the bigger girl and please ignore that! We don't wanna cause any unnecessary trouble here so please don't _respooond!_ "

By this point the two girls were practically in each other's faces to the point of nearly bumping heads with one another. Poor Kamijou was the only thing keeping the two from physically making contact with one another; trying and failing to keep the two separated. It was like trying to keep two super magnets from coming together; try as he might they were still drawing closer to each other. And like that metaphor, if these two super magnets connected, no amount of male brute strength would be able to separate them.

To that end, we have but this to say.

 _ **Do not stop**_ trying to mediate the damage Kamijou-san!

It's not working, not even a little, but persevere nonetheless!

* * *

"So, this is the biri-biri girl that you've been telling me about?"

"Wha—hey! Don't go calling me that around other people!"

"Yup, this is her."

"Don't you ignore me!"

For a situation that was rapidly spiraling downwards, things eventually reverted back to a certain degree of calm. It took a lot of back-and-forth banter and a few hits to his person but Kamijou succeeded in keeping things from escalating. By the end the two had settled on verbal insults and name calling; not a dignified choice of combat but it sufficed for the time being. Anything that kept unnecessary property damage and explosions to a minimum was an outcome worth praising. Especially when one takes into account precisely who these two young women were and what they were capable of doing.

For now the three were situated in the shade at the lone table available in this area; with Mugino and Mikoto taking the seats. Kamijou, being the gentleman he was, chose to stand whilst sipping on the cold beverage produced from the machine. Did it count as stealing if the drink was dispensed on its own without him paying for it? Tough call there, but it did not stop him from taking it regardless; much to Frenda's dismay. She was, again, feeling pretty parched right about now.

"Tch, I dunno what's more annoying; the fact that it turned out to be true or the fact that I doubted you in the first place." Probably both, given how she kept casting frustrating glances at both parties involved. "You knew she was a Level 5 as well, didn't you?"

"Yup, she told me after...hm? Was it the second or third time we met?"

"Speaking of that, how did you end up running into this twerp in the first place?"

"Be nice, and it's kind of a long story—"

"Would you two stop talking about me as if I'm not here!" Accompanying this outcry was the repeated slapping of her hand against the flat surface in front of her. Her flustered face and actions making her seem like a judge with a gavel trying to restore order in a courtroom. "And stop trying to make it out to be some long winded escapade! The idiot just stuck his nose into my business, got stuck in hot water, then started mouthing off."

"I was just telling those guys they were pretty cowardly to be picking on some middle school girl." Rebuked Touma quite calmly whilst taking another sip of the canned drink he had nabbed. "My 'pretend-to-be-a-friend and naturally-walk-you-away' plan would have worked if you'd have just played along."

What kind of plan is that supposed to be!

And what is with that terribly long-winded name!?

"Why in the hell would anyone play along with such a stupid idea?"

"You'd be surprised how often that stupid plan of his works." Two sets of eyes (omitting the stalker in the backdrop) turned towards Mugino after she said this. "I've seen him do it a few times and most people actually play along with it. It doesn't surprise me that you didn't; but it's not like you needed to anyway."

"What? That plan works!?"

"Better yet, when did you—"

"Not important, I got the answer to my question and it sounds like what I should come to expect from you." This time her words caused Kamijou to stand just a bit straighter; especially when she directed her gaze at him. "Warrior therapist, CHD, and now the Dulcinea Effect. Should I go ahead and add martyr without a cause next?"

Would you stop it with the tropes!

"Big damn heroes would fit if it wasn't averted."

Give it some time Mikoto.

Wait, you too!?

Sighing in resignation, Mikoto seemed to give the female opposite her a tired look. Perhaps it was due to their shared exposure with the idiocy that was Kamijou Touma and his acts of self-righteous heroism. A sentiment that was likely shared given how the Meltdowner did not immediately sneer at the girl in that particular moment. Likely because the two shared a mutual annoyance for said boy's white knight antics. Whether or not that was actually the case remained to be seen.

"So what's your story? Are you one of those 'I didn't ask for help but he came to help anyway' sorta cases?"

"You assume a lot and that hurts my feelings; stop it."

"Well would you look at who's trying to stick their nose into _my_ business all-of-a-sudden." The tasteless rebuke incited a heated gaze from the Railgun; not that Mugino seemed to care. She kept her gaze locked with Mikoto whilst a minor degree of mirth began to surface on her lips. "It's not a big issue to me, but I still like my privacy as much as the next person. And I don't much care for people, or little brats like you especially, trying to pry into a matters that aren't any of their business."

A certain stalker did not like the sound of that particular statement. In fact it made the situation she currently found herself in that much more dangerous. If Mugino knew that she was here, listening in to this, then she was done for. Without a doubt the Meltdowner would turn her into a smear on the pavement if she or the others were to be caught either now or in the future. That awareness almost made her want to retreat from the scene and vow to never go snooping again from then on.

"Oi, Shizuri, stop antagonizing her please; we want to keep this from turning into a brawl."

Good on you Touma to be there and pull on the reigns when the time calls for it.

"Tsk, fun wrecker." Don't pout at him! Act like a proper senpai to the girl across from you! "Oh well, I suppose I can give you something to help you sleep at night. Our history is a bit, more or less, complicated than what you seem to have."

This, however, did not sit right with the girl in the slightest and it showed.

"You, explain to me what the deal is between you and this hag!"

Seemed Mikoto wanted to extract information from the other occupant in the area. Seeing as how she wasn't going to be getting anything else from Mugino.

"U-um, well, its kinda like what Shizuri just said; its complicated." Sadly Kamijou did not yield to the Railgun's demand of an explanation; shrugging off the question entirely. "Plus that's a topic that'll take way too long to explain; at least for right now. Not like it's that big of a deal anyway. Oh, by the way Shizuri, do you want the rest of this? I can't drink this stuff anymore."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure."

The two made the exchange right before the young maiden's fiery eyes. That fiery expression, however, was quickly extinguished once she saw the girl take the canned beverage and drink from it without hesitation. Dull realization came to her brain when she remembered that Kamijou's lips had already made contact with that can. And once _that_ sunk in Misaka Mikoto's face turned completely red. Abashed, the Tokiwadai maiden abruptly stood up, knocking over the chair, and thus gartering the attention of the two teens across from her.

"W-wh-what the heck are you doing!?" Shouted the girl, pointing accusingly at the Meltdowner who merely blinked at her in mild shock. "A-are you really drinking after that idiot already put his lips on it!?"

"...yeah?"

"Th-that's just about the same as k-k-"

"Kissing? An in an indirectly kissing him?" Finished the older woman, clearly missing the issue at hand. "Yeah, I'd say it is, so what?"

"What the hell do you mean 'so what', huh!?"

"Why are you getting all excited about this biri-biri?" Now it Touma's turn to interject; also missing the point that Mikoto was trying to convey. "How else are you supposed to share a drink? You could use straws but it's not like I go out of my way to carry some around for the sake of convenience."

"Why are you two so casual about this!?"

Because they had done more lewd things than just share a drink Mikoto.

That's why.

Frenda was once again reminded that, by all accounts, Mikoto was still in middle school. Granted it was a middle school for the most elite girls that resided in the School Garden. The same School Garden where daughters of company executives, CEO's, and other members of high society sent their daughters to be raised as proper ladies. It was also the place where minimal male contact is made, as male students were forbidden to enter that particular area of District 7. With all of this being said, to the maidens who reside there, such an interaction between the two sexes would be considered as indecent.

Never mind the fact that regular people, those who did not reside in the School Garden, also behaved in a similar manner. Those people were just being childish, stupid even, as far as Seivelun was concerned. Then again she had seen worse, things that _would_ be considered indecent when performed in public. So she probably had the advantage over most others in this particular moment. Otherwise she probably would have had a similar reaction to Misaka right around this point.

"W-wait, you two don't have some cliché relationship like being childhood friends or something do you?" Poor girl was still trying her best to rationalize the current situation at hand. Oddly enough that assumption led to extreme levels over-thinking. "No way, that can't be the case...can it? From what I understand those sort of relationships tend to be pretty close. It would explain why neither of you are bothered about this whole thing. I mean, don't people like that tend to sleep together in the same bed or share a bath together as kids?"

"What are you talking about? We aren't childhood friends so it's nothing like that." Lightly berated Touma, who was truly at a loss as to where the girl was getting all of these assumptions from. Not at all noticing the glint that suddenly twinkled in a certain Meltdowner's eye. "You seriously need to chill out on the manga biri-biri. Half of what you read doesn't apply to real life anyway. Even if it did what does that sorta relationship have to do with sharing a drink?"

"Not much if you ask me." Retorted Shizuri, seizing the initiative and taking this moment to stand as well. "But I think you've wasted enough of our time for one day. So, unless you forgot, we've some things to get done before we can go out on our date."

Mikoto's body suddenly and completely locked up.

"Oh yeah, you're right, dammit what time is it?"

Speechless, Misaka Mikoto could do naught but stand there upon hearing this shocking (heh) revelation.

"Quit worrying, we've got time; it's not like this little setback hasn't put us too far behind."

The #3 Level 5's body went through motions as if she functioned off of steam and old cogwheels. Her movements were slow, robotic even, as her mouth opened and closed while her finger pointed back and forth between the male and female teens. Her mouth would open and close, but no noise came out aside from the occasional babble that was inaudible to those not keenly listening. Which the two were not doing since they had already began to move towards the path leading them out of the park.

"Don't we need to stop by your place so you can change? You did say you didn't want to go out in your uniform."

"I left some spare clothes at your place, so we should be fine."

She did?

"You did?"

"Of course, I go there often enough so why wouldn't I?"

That was the last straw.

It was the straw that broke the camel's back.

The very straw that broke the spell of silence that kept the Railgun from speaking out.

"Y-you two are _d_ - _d_ - _dating!?_ "

The overall volume of her voice was probably louder than what she had intended it to be. Birds flew off into the sky and if one strained their ears you could almost swear to hear an echo in the distance. So it went without saying that those two would have heard her even if they were twenty-five or so feet away. Those two were half that distance away when they had stopped and turned to address the Electromaster. Said Electromaster was standing on the threshold between the path they were on and the rest area.

Not fully committing to following them but well within their line of sight to see her flushed and perplexed visage.

As far as the couple was concerned, they too reacted to this in their own way. The two spared the person beside them a brief glance before turning back to the girl. Kamijou simply shrugged his shoulders while Mugino raised their conjoined hands up for the girl to see.

"Kinda dead giveaway, don't cha think?"

"W-when—how did—but why would—!?"

"I think biri-biri just blew a fuse." Aye, good work with the pun placement there Touma. Don't sigh and look discouraged, chin up, that was good. " _Reaally_ wish she didn't make such a big deal about me having a girlfriend. I knew I was unlucky but I didn't think I looked _that_ hopeless to everyone around me."

...you really are a dingus.

A delusional, oblivious, dingus.

"Nah, it's just that most women have shit taste in men." Did you essentially rip that line straight out of SNAFU, Mugino-san!? "Anyway, let's get going; there's only so much time we can afford to spend loitering around."

"Right, right, but don't you think for a second I didn't catch that."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lies.

All lies!

With Mikoto no longer having any follow-up prepared, the couple turned their backs to the girl once again. Their destination set in their mind and their hands still conjoined at their side. Not realizing or not caring how the heat was liable to make their hands clammy and sweaty in the long run. Despite having dismissed the child loved by electrons, one of the two did spare a girl one last parting glance over their shoulder. That person had been Mugino and it was here that the Railgun saw it. The thin smile that, in spite of how small it seemed, was filled overwhelmingly amount of smug satisfaction.

To add insult to injury, she adjusted the manner in which she chose to carry her schoolbag by slinging it over her shoulder. From there Misaka could clearly see the raised, or more accurately upside down, middle finger that the older Level 5 was throwing her way.

Clearly this was meant to provoke the younger female. There was literally no other way to interpret that antagonizing action. And by god did it fulfill its intended purpose. Because that parting gift was what gave Mikoto the jump-start she needed to get her motor functions working again. Her face burning with unyielding rage, Mikoto set out to alleviate that in the safest, ethical, and innocent way possible. And all it took for her to accomplish that was whirl around and march herself right over to the hapless vending machine.

"CHASER!"

The beautiful kick was ruined by the modesty shorts she wore beneath her skirt.

Vending Machine-kun would forever be displeased by this one critical detail.

 _Gathunk!_

Apparently not enough to stop it from giving the girl what she wanted though.

Did that make it Mikoto's sugar daddy?

...best not think too deeply on that subject.

"Stupid hag! Stupid spiky-headed idiot! You both most feel _sooo_ mature compared to me just cause two you are a couple!" Misaka-san, please stop stomping your heel down on Vending Machine-kun's dispenser tray. Even the most degenerate masochist can only endure but so much. "And what's with that satisfied look on your stupid face, huh!? What's there to be smug about being some dumb-ass's girlfriend!? It doesn't make you better than me! Even with those sag-bags of fat you call boobs! If anything I should be laughing and looking smug you hag! Cause if that idiot is the best guy you can get then you're either pathetic or desperate! _Still!_ _It!_ _Pisses!_ _Me!_ _Offff!?_ "

This repeated abuse on Vending Machine-kun persisted for the next few minutes. Long enough to eventually quell her intense ire and thus leave her a panting mess as she huffed in front of the ill-treated mass of metal. Combined with the humidity of the air and it was safe to say that the girl had worked up a bit of sweat; despite the minimal amount of exertion applied. Yet she did not make a move to retrieve the can until after she had completely calmed herself down. And it was after she did that her gaze shifted over towards the steps leading to the higher ground.

"Oi, how long do you plan on trying to hide from me up there?"

"Geh!"

She noootiiiiiced!

"You've been skulking around here for a good while; long enough to see and hear just about everything." This manner of speaking was a stark contrast to how she was just moments ago. It was direct yet casually so with a calculating edge jarring enough that it would have caught any person off guard. "If I were to guess, I'd say you showed up pretty early on. Which leads me to think one of two things. Either you are just an eavesdropper who got caught in the moment or you were actively trying to spy on us."

One look in the Railgun's eyes would have been enough of a tell for anyone to see. Under these circumstances actually, no— _as a direct result of said circumstances_ , the #3 Level 5 was in no mood for games. If she did not like what she heard next then it would end with someone being turned into a taser victim. There was no guarantee that such an outcome would not occur even if the Electromaster _did_ like whatever response the Seivelun gave. Such was the gamble one made when dealing with the likes of any Level 5.

"Well? You gonna come out or do I have to come up there and make you?"

Under such dire circumstances one must be willing to make scarifies. Sometimes those sacrifices can be of the selfness sort and other times they can be selfish. It all comes down to the cause, the core beliefs of a person, and their own integrity. A man who does not fully give his life to a cause will not be die for it if given the chance to have his life spared. But if a man believes in that cause, wholeheartedly and truly believes it to be a just one, then he shall gladly give his life for that cause; even under the threat of death.

Frenda was not one of those people.

"Ha-haha, b-ba-basically you caught me~!" Hands raised, the fluffy girl popped up out of the foliage by the steps like a jack-in-the-box. She had even gone as far as cheekily bopping herself on the noggin for good measure. "Teehee~!"

Misaka Mikoto was not amused.

"Talk."

"B-basically, whatever you wanna know; but, um, first can I get that drink you've got there? I'm really thirsty."

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

First, lets get this out of the way; I apologize for the long delay with this chapter. UPS was not kind to me in the last three or so months of last year. Lots of physical and mental drain from long hours working killed my want to write. Even after the busy months were over I was still in a bit of a slump. I got out of it thanks to a few (ahem) kind words from some friends of mine. Can't say I'm not grateful, I am, but they could stand to be just a bit nicer to me from time-to-time.

But enough of all that.

You all knew this was bound to happen at some point. Ever since Kumokawa showed up you should have known that other members of Touma's harem were gonna make an appearance here at some point. That list is massive so I have plenty of folk to choose from. Although I think its safe to assume that most of the people you'll see are from the Science-Side. Might see a couple Magic-Side characters make an appearance here and there. But you'll have to wait and see which ones those are.

On that note, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my Mikoto writing isn't too shabby. At least that's as far as I've been told. Hopefully you guys feel the same about it. I like to believe I characterize everyone as closely to the source material as I possibly can. With that being said, I once again want to thank **FrodoFighter** for giving me some much needed critique on this chapter. The points he addressed really helped me out so it necessitates a double shout-out.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	7. 4th Appointment

Greetings to all!

 _When I first read this fic. I thought to myself that MuginoxTouma would be impossible for me to ship. I guess Ican't say that anymore.—Majin Othinus_

 _C_ omments like these make me proud to be the Captain of the KamiGino Ship.

* * *

Time, in essence, is something that is both fickle and precious.

It's fickleness lies in how, some days, it tends to pass either at a sluggish or rapid pace. Generally speaking it varied from person to person as well as the proceedings that said individuals were currently engaged in. Supplementary lessons, for example, felt like they dragged on forever and yet the time off from school would end almost as quickly as it began. Vexing to a large majority, so much so that the value of time itself was often lost. We do not think about it very often but those moments in life that we, as people, come the cherish are worth every moment spent.

Because, after they pass, they are gone.

All of those moments are swept away in the ever flowing stream of time.

Whisked away to make room for the present and thus become mere memories to reflect on at a later time.

Technology in Academy City may have, somewhere at least, created a machine to allow one the means to re-experience those precious moments. But at the end of the day, when the operator steps away and the machine is turned off, we must face the bitter truth. Reality stands in the present and the present can be far too harsh and unkind to some. On that note, perhaps it would be for the best for such technology to not exist. Otherwise the inhabitance may come to forget what it means to live in reality and put more emphasis on living in that delusional dream.

An interesting little thought but otherwise irrelevant to the story at large. What is relevant to the story at large is time; and it was 3:23pm to be exact.

Why was this relevant?

"..."

Because Kinuhata Saiai could not keep herself from periodically glancing at clock on her phone; that's why.

Classes had been dismissed roughly two hours ago. So it stands to reason that most of the populace was moving about for the sake of indulging in their early time off. Which meant that there was an abundance of crowds as pre-usual roaming about the walkways. Unlike most sessions throughout our story, Kinuhata was not among the crowd or even navigating her way through it. In fact she was perfectly out of the way from it all, standing by her lonesome at the corner of the street.

Clearly she was waiting for someone, given that she had her back against the nearest building's wall.

Trained eyes were watching the crowds, waiting, expecting to see a flash of something familiar to dance along her vision. Many faces blurred passed her with some going faster than others. She paid them as much mind as they paid her; which varied depending on who's attention she caught. It was mid-day, so the threat of some gruff looking fellow trying to hit on her out in the open like this was slim to none. That was one positive aspect to be had in this particular circumstance. Aside from that one pleasantry, nothing else about the situation appealed to her in a positive way.

She was still stuck here waiting and the longer she waited the more impatient she became.

As indicated by the light tapping of her foot as she spared her phone another glance.

Only one minute had passed since she last looked.

"This is taking super long." The girl's huffy remark was made as she took to stuffing her phone back into her pocket before promptly crossing her arms over her flat- _tering_ chest. "At this rate I'll be lucky if I only miss the first three minutes."

One must remember that the Dark May Survivor's extracurricular activities did not always involve violence. Beyond of the occasional (if more recent) bout of stalking, Kinuhata had a genuine love for movies. Specifically those that were not produced by Hollywood. Independent movies, or B-grade movies as she preferred to call them, were more her forte. Mainly due to the thrill of finding that diamond in the rough among the mass of garbage that oversaturated the market. It was like a game, a game she was intent on winning, and thus it became hobby when she was 'off the clock' so to speak.

Which was where the current issue lay.

The movie in which she wanted to see had an age requirement that she did not meet. Knowing that they would card her the second she showed her face meant that she had to go above and beyond to view it. Most people would have just given up on the matter, but not her. This was important since, after today, it would be removed from theaters. Meaning that this was her only chance and she could not afford to miss out on it. No petty age restrictions were going to keep her from seeing it either.

Hence why she was there; watching the crowds and waiting for a certain someone to appear.

It did not matter that she had to wait there for ten minutes or sixty; she would wait for as long as she needed to.

"I still can't believe it took you almost an hour to get ready." Despite the familiarity of this voice, it was not the one Kinuhata was expecting to hear on this particular day. "Here I thought you were just gonna change clothes. But instead you take a shower, put makeup on, and _then_ change clothes."

"Yeah and your point is?" Yet another voice, one of greater familiarity, also succeeded in gartering her full attention."All girls do these things before they go out on a date. It's normal, so what makes me any different?"

Kinuhata's vision soon found itself look at the most recent gaggle of people who stood waiting to pass the intersection via the crosswalk. Within that crowd, in the thick of it all, was a familiar spiky mass of black hair that had become unmistakable. Him again, Kamijou Touma, only this time it seemed he was not garbed in his usual bland school uniform. It being replaced with a more casual set of attire that made him blend in easier with the horde of people surrounding him. At least that would have been the case had he not been in the company of her esteemed, tyrannical, leader.

Thankfully Kinuhata was on Touma's _left side_.

Those who pay attention to detail will, by now, note that Mugino preferred latching on to his _right side_.

That factor may very well have been the reason why the Meltdowner had not noticed the fellow ITEM member sitting off to the side. Or perhaps having been absorbed into the throng of people made it hard to see anything that was not in her immediate peripheral. There was also the possibility that she was too engrossed in the conversation with her lover to take note of anything that did not immediately jump out and grab her attention. Truth be told there were a lot of factors in play that could explain why Kinuhata's presence went unnoticed.

To some extent the younger girl was grateful.

"Nothing, it's just I've never actually seen you 'get ready' for most of our dates. Usually we just meet up and go; so it's new to me seeing you take so long."

"Says the boy who almost always shows up late for one reason or another."

"Mhn...nope." For some reason, Kamijou shook his head after a brief pause of thought. "I've got nothing, no excuses, just misfortune."

That counts as an excuse, Kamijou-san.

A justified one, yes, but an excuse nonetheless.

Apparently Mugino was irked by that remark by some margin. Kinuhata herself could not see it, but she did see the boy's body lurch to the left unexpectedly. Best assumption she could come up with, based on past experiences, was that the girl had elbow jabbed him in the ribs. Shortly after this the light to crosswalk changed color and the flow of pedestrian traffic started to shuffle along like sheep being guided by a sheppard. This included the likes of Touma and Shizuri as they progressed towards their own destination.

It was at this point, however, that Kinuhata realized she too was in the thick of the crowd.

Apparently she had been acting on some subconscious level to eavesdrop on the conversation being had by the couple. Her recently installed 'Stalking Mode' had been engaged the second she caught sight of the two together. And since she and the others had taken a break to let the tension cool down, her body reacted based on those past experiences. In the simpler terms; she was itching to see how this affair of theirs had progress since the last time she saw them together.

Conversely she did have her own plans set in motion for today. By all accounts she was off the clock; no jobs or other obligations were in play for today. Based on that logic, Kinuhata should be spending her precious free time in the manner she deemed best. Stalking Mugino and her lover boy was as close to being work as her late night activities were. Regardless of if she was getting paid for it or not, work was still work and she had no desire to work today. Especially since she had already made plans in regards to how she would spend her day off.

"Ignore it Kinuhata Saiai; just super ignore it~" Yes, Kinuhata, delude yourself into thinking that you do not care; because that usually works. "You have better things to do with your day. Don't think about it, don't worry about it, and just go about your business like normal."

"By the way, where in the hell did you manage to hide all that stuff without me noticing? You'd think I would've seen at least some of your stuff laying around at my dorm."

Mhm, yup, totally did not hear any of that!

"It's a female secret, don't worry about it." Do not dismiss it so casually Mugino-san! Those are critical details that we must know! "Now come on, we're only a few blocks away from reaching the cinema."

Whatever retort that was sure to follow that statement got drowned out by the surrounding pedestrians as the two carried on their way with the crowd. Not that anything that was sure to follow that line would have amounted to much importance. Mugino's last words, however, did hold a significant degree of Kinuhata's interest. The reason being quite obvious; their destination had now been disclosed. She knew where they were going, knew quite well in fact because that was _her_ destination as well.

Convenient?

Yes, it most certainly was.

More so due to the fact that, within the specified parameters Mugino had mentioned, there was only one around. She knew this, she had previously looked for more and found no others around this particular area. So she knew where they were going and it was a case of pure coincidence that allowed their fate's to intertwine in such a way. Poetic as that last bit sounded, none would deny that there truly was not a better way to word it.

"...it super doesn't count as stalking if I 'accidently' bump into them at the theater..." Rationalize it as much as you want Kinuhata; but it still counts as stalking. "...at least that would be the case if that idiot wasn't taking so long to—"

Whatever words she was about to utter died in her throat as her eyes once again took in her surroundings. In doing so, her eyes caught sight of a particular boy nestled within the masses. His dull looking face and overall garb made him seem like your typical everyman. However there stood two things that made him stand out from the rest of the flood of people. One being his unruly blonde hair and the second being how painful on the eyes he was to look at. Overall he looked like your typical hoodlum who was way out of his element.

And of course he had yet to see her; instead he was gazing off towards the crosswalk. His dumb face scrunched up in a way that made him appear perplexed about something. That or he was constipated; it was hard for Kinuhata to tell the difference. Regardless, the Dark May Survivor wasted no time in making her approach towards the taller lad; her face stony and devoid of many emotions. And it was during this approach that he must have noticed her from his peripheral vision because his postured suddenly stiffed once he came to fully face her.

"H-hey, Kinuhata, what's with that look your giving me!? I-if you're mad about me taking so long I can expla—ah! Leggo of me, Kinuhata!"

No warnings, just actions; that was the approach Kinuhata had employed in this particular moment. Having reached up and grabbed a handful of the boy's hair she proceeded to carry on towards the crosswalk before it changed colors. Completely ignoring the looks and cries coming from bystanders and the 'victim' alike.

"You're super coming with me."

"Ow-ow-ow! It hurts, it hurts; stop it and lemme go!" The poor boy writhed as he was practically dragged along behind the shorter girl like a uncooperative dog on a leash. "T-they're staring, people staring and judging me! Please, Kinuhata, for the sake of what dignity I've got left just stoooooop!"

Suffice to say Hamazura Shiage's dignity took yet another bullet to the chest that day.

And, in all likelihood, it would be the first of many soon to follow.

* * *

Just as specified, in less than a couple blocks the sight of the local cinema gradually came into sight. It's stature was not as grand or as big as it would be certain other distracts in Academy City. Nor was this one in particular fashioned with the most sophisticated technology that could be produced by the city. It was your typical, average, movie theater with overpriced snacks and drinks; nothing more. Though that was the redeeming quality of this particular place. It's easier accessibility compared to the more technologically advanced and stylish theaters was what truly kept it in business.

Plus the tickets here were much cheaper than the aforementioned establishments.

"Woah, usually it isn't this crowded during the day; wonder if something is going on."

Kamijou was not wrong as it was more common for folk to migrate here during the evening hours; not in the late afternoon. Although 'crowded' was a term that was used loosely in this setting. It was not quite packed to the brim with long lines and such. But there were still more people here than what one would come to expect given the time of day.

"Probably just a bunch of bored classmates who had nothing better to do with their half-day." Theorized Mugino, seemingly unfazed by the mildly large influx of traffic the cinema was seeing at the moment. "Summer vacation _is_ right around the corner. Lots of students spend their vacation outside the city to visit family and such. So it's likely that clusters of those people are choosing to spend these last few days with their friends before they leave."

"That makes sense, I'm guessing a lot of your classmates are doing that too?"

"Couldn't tell you, I'm not particularly close with many of my peers." The straightforward response was accompanied by a careless shrug of the shoulders. "In any case, lets hurry before we get stuck sitting behind a group who can't keep their fuckin' mouths shut."

Having nothing else to add, Kamijou set his pace to catch up with the girl formerly clutching his arm. He was only a few paces behind her and their hands were still firmly interlocked. Only after Mugino's shoes clapping against the pavement ceased to be heard did Kinuhata advance forward. She had not forgotten the instance where she had been observing the two back at the Dianoid. Hard to forget incident which almost got her caught by the individual she was supposed to be shadowing. In that respect she understood how unwise it would be to be too daring when it came to stalking them.

"I need to find out which movie those two are gonna see." Oh no, not this gag again. "But I can't get risk getting super close to them either or I'll be noticed."

You did not think that far ahead when you decided to start stalking these two again, did you Kinuhata-san?

That is a very Frenda-like mistake you just made; which is super not like you.

"What two are you talking to yourself about?" Shiage asked from behind her, combing his hand over the spot the girl had previously been tugging at earlier. This, however, wrong choice of action considering he witnessed something that made his eyes widen. "W-wait, is-is that...that's hair, I have hair falling out! Did you really pull so hard that they came out from the roots!? Am I seriously gonna have bald spot on my head from this!?"

"Quit being a super baby about it; it'll grow back...maybe."

Can you _at least_ look him in the eye as you lie to his face!?

Hair loss at sixteen is pretty big deal you know!

"Anyway, go get in line and get us some tickets."

"Why in the hell do I have to do it!? Did you literally drag me along just so you wouldn't have to pay for your crappy movie!?"

Under any other circumstance, Kinuhata would not have been caught dead being around Hamazura for any extended period of time. At any other time, this display of disobedience would have been met with a rather harsh punishment. Suffice to say, however, that they were both making some sacrifices today. Because she did not go through the motions to perform an Offense Armor-style denki anma right then and there. Whether or not she would follow up on that at a later time was anyone's guess. Nonetheless, Kinuhata was not about to take backtalk at this stage of the game.

And she made sure to convey that message once she finally set her sights on him.

"Super Hamazuuurrrraaa..."

...taking bets now!

Thousand yen says the denki anma happens later!

"Okay, okay, fine I'm going!" Apparently Shiage caught on to the fact that she was not _asking_ him to do this. It did not stop him from grumbling to himself as he briskly walked off though. "Is this what I'm reduced to now? It's bad enough I've gotta be their errand boy. But now I've gotta shell out money from my pocket for their hobbies? At this rate they'll probably make me dress up as some stuffed animal and make me dance for the fun of it."

Little moments like these were where it paid off to be a Level 4 Esper. Especially when your Dark Side Organization's lackey is utterly powerless against you. On a side note, his grumblings did conjure up a mental image in the Stealthy Stalker's mind. That indeed would be an amusing sight to behold. Maybe she should pitch that suggestion to Mugino and the others to see what they thought about it? A little bit of trauma builds character and it could serve to be a lesson in humility.

Future humiliation aside, there was a solid reasoning behind this action. One that went beyond getting a free ticket to the movie of choice. Having taken to keeping herself as far out of sight as possible, Kinuhata kept a close eye on the blonde lackey as he entered the line. But her focus was not on him, rather the couple who was in front of him. Only after reaching that point did it appear that Shiage realized just who he was standing behind. Based on his stupid facial expression morphed into that of painfully obvious surprise.

Here was the moment in which Hamazura would come to realize why he was here. It was also at this point that he felt the vibrations of his phone going off in his pocket; to which he retrieved and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hamazura, for once in your life, don't super screw this up." Well that's a rude way to start a phone conversation. "I want you to try and listen out for what movie those two are going to see. After you find out what they're seeing, buy some tickets for the same movie."

...oh...

It seemed she _did_ think a bit further ahead than we originally believed.

Not bad.

"What's this all about Ki-"

"Don't say my name out loud you super idiot!"

"Why; you're not making any sense to me!" The temptation to go over and beat the boy senseless was strong; but she persevered. Shiage, at least, kept his voice down as he complained. "Is _this_ why you literally dragged me along with you? So I can spy on these two going out to the movies?"

"Shhh!"

"Don't 'shush' me; tell me what the hell's going on!"

Despite his hissed protests Kinuhata remained silent as she took to focusing on the voices speaking in the background. Muffled as they were, she could still faintly make out a few broken pieces of their conversation. Disgruntled as he appeared, Hamazura was smart enough to not immediately hang up when she refused to respond. To further credit his intelligence, he took to keeping his back to the pair in front of him; shifting his phone to where the receiver was more aligned towards them. All-in-all, he took to playing the part of your typical teen being lectured over the phone quite well.

In fact the look suited him.

Undoubtedly because it was not too far from the norm for him.

"It doesn't look like we made it in time." It was too dim to make out the finer details in Kamijou's tone here. So instead Kinuhata just had to assume that he was disappointed by this knowledge. "We can still get tickets and such, but we'll be missing the first ten to fifteen minutes of the movie."

Someone was doing a good job at staying positive.

"Tch, if I'm going to buy tickets at full price then I plan to watch the entire thing." Too bad Mugino did not share the sentiment. For her, Kinuhata hardly needed to assume much; pretty sure it was clear what emotions the older girl felt at the moment. "The next showing is at four-thirty, which means we would have almost half an hour's worth of time to kill."

"It doesn't look like there's much for us to do around here though. I'm not against just walking around or anything but I'd also like to spend that time doing something fun."

Kinuhata could see him momentarily shifting his head from side to side; searching for something. Nothing specific, just something within the immediate vicinity that could maintain him and his date's interest for a prolonged period of time. While there were a few places that had potential to do just that, they did not appear to cater to him personally.

"True, there isn't much around here to do besides the theater." Seemed that said places did not provide much entertainment for Mugino either. To be fair, her tastes were on a much higher standard than most people. All the more reason why it was odd to find her here of all places. "I'm sure as hell not going to those money robbing arcade games this place has either."

"You only say that because you're bad at them."

"...give me a Skee ball table and I'll show you who's bad, smartass."

Kinuhata could have been mistaken based on the proximity of the receiver and the speaker in question. Again, she could only faintly make out what they were saying and such factors like tone were hard to determine. But for some reason the stalker had the impression that there was some measure of pride in that last remark. Easily something that could be her own imagination, yet all the same dismissing the notion entirely was ill advised. Mugino Shizuri had proven to be a stark contrast to the one Kinuhata was familiar with when in the presence of Kamijou Touma.

But really, Skee-ball?

Truly, who would have thunk it?

Then again, probably the only reason she liked that was because she was good at it. Guess that meant that the young woman had yet another title added to her list of monikers. Mugino Shizuri, The Meltdowner, and now Skee Ball Champion.

We all envy her greatness.

"Say, Shizuri, this movie was something you picked on a whim, right?"

"...why?"

Kamijou did not immediately reply, or at least not loud enough for Kinuhata to hear. His head was fixated on the many movie posters on display for the films current playing. Each one was well illuminated and displayed in two rows along the same wall. The cinema was pretty big, all things considered, so it had enough theaters to support at least six to eight different films. While it was clear he was looking over the selection, she could not indicate which ones he was focusing on.

"I was thinking, since our first choice was a bust, we could always go see something else."

The line started to move and everyone in it shuffled forward as the next batch of people moved up to the teller. With only one employee at the register, it was understandable why it was taking so long. As far as the couple was concerned, they were only a few quick transactions away from their turn. So if they were planning to see something different they would have to make a decision soon. Otherwise they would be holding up the line as more teens soon gathered behind Hamazura.

"All the other ones I saw didn't catch my eye, to be honest." Responded Mugino in what Kinuhata had to guess was disinterest. "But it beats doing nothing for half an hour, so I guess it couldn't hurt. Which one do you have in mind?"

"...how 'bout that one?"

As Kinuhata watched on from a distance, she could make out Hamazura risking a glance over his shoulder. Shortly thereafter she heard him make a peculiar noise through the receiver; something that sounded like a gag being poorly disguised as a cough. Had she not been so afraid of missing out on what the couple were saying she might have commented on it. Instead her eyebrow raised as the interest that started to brew threatened to boil over. Fortunately her brimming curiosity would soon be quenched when Mugino's head inclined upward before abruptly going still.

"You can't be fucking serious."

Apparently, Mugino did not approve of the boy's selection. Something which was quickly addressed by said boy shortly after the remark was made.

"What?"

"That looks like something a friend of mine would go and see."

It should be depressing to note that those words instantly made the stalker realize what they were discussing. Sadder still was the fact that Kinuhata knew which 'friend' she was speaking about in that particular moment. It obviously had to be Kinuhata herself who Mugino was referring to and that knowledge practically made her eyes sparkle with barely repressed glee. Now there stood one question that needed to be asked: should that statement have been taken as a compliment or an insult?

"Really?"

"Yes and that's not a good thing, Kamijou."

Well at least that answers the narrative question.

"Oh come on Shizuri it can't be that bad." Touma would never know how loudly Kinuhata was internally rooting for him at this moment. "Even if it is, we can still get a laugh or two out of it. Bad movies can be just as funny as your standard slap-stick comedy."

"I'll let that one slide Kamijou." At this stage Saiai had unknowingly started to broadcast her thoughts; which Shiage heard clear as day. "Keep pushing, don't relent, _you must convince her to go see it!_ "

Seems Kinuhata-san has gotten business and pleasure mixed up.

Was she even planning to stalk them at this point?

"I'd rather not pay for a movie I know is gonna be shit." Oi, those are fighting words Mugino-san. "If you wanna see it that bad, go see it on your own time; not ours."

"Then let's compromise, we see this and I'll cover the cost for a dinner of your choice."

Kamijou, what are you doing!? Are you aware of what you are even saying right now!? Do you not understand that your wallet loves you and cares for your personal wellbeing!? Think rationally for a moment and realize that you are setting yourself up for poverty!

"Come on, come on, come oooooon!"

Shut up Kinuhata!

We all know your motives are selfish!

"...are you absolutely sure you want to see this?" Touma, the glorious bastard he was, merely shrugged his shoulders in indifference. The wait for her retort had been long and held with bated breath until an eventual sigh was heard. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. Just know I'll be holding you to that promise Kamijou; I don't expect to hear any complaints either."

From that point on, all she could make out were the chuckles coming from the spiky haired boy. If she cared enough, she would have been able to deduce they were of the anxious sort rather than heartfelt amusement. Fact of the matter was that Kinuhata did not care enough to try and come to that conclusion. She was far too busy celebrating the same boy's success in swaying Mugino's opinion. If the circumstances had been different, she probably would have hugged him with enough force to snap his spine. As things stood now, however, she could do no such thing and thus she decided to wrap things up.

She had gotten the information she wanted, so there was no point in wasting any more battery life on her phone.

"I'll meet you inside once you super get the tickets."

"Huh, wait a-!?"

Anything Hamazura may have had left to say was abruptly cut off as Kinuhata ended the call.

With groan of resignation, Hamazura snapped his phone shut whilst shooting the poster one last look as the line once again shuffled forward. Honestly the only reason he knew of this movie's existence was because Kinuhata had been going on about for days. The basic synopsis for it was that it was about a corpse of some high priest coming back from the dead to rekindle the love between him and an old flame. But apparently that lover of his died a decade earlier; so instead of carrying on to the afterlife it went for their lover's kin.

There was just one problem: the kin in question turned out to be a high school teenage boy.

Controversy aside, it sounded like it would make for a pretty decent comedy. Yet the film's poster painted a very different picture compared to the summery which the movie provided to the audience. On said poster was some boy's face locked in a scream with a transparent husk of a human corpse looming over his shoulder in the background. If the image alone was not a big enough give-away, then the small text near the bottom reading 'Psychological Horror' surely did the job. By looking at the poster alone one could determine that the production costs looked remarkably cheap.

What originally caught his eye, and what still did at this very moment, was its queer title.

"...I don't get it, what kinda horror flick _is_ this?" Befuddled, Hamazura had no one but himself to ask; scratching his scalp and ignoring the flakes of hair that crossed his vision. "HighHubb...seriously what the hell were they thinking? What the hell does 'hubb' even stand for!?"

Seriously!?

Of all the things described here, _that_ is the part you choose to comment on?

* * *

"That's the last time I let you pick a fuckin' movie."

Mugino Shizuri, Skee-ball Champion and Level 5 Meltdowner, was undoubtedly peeved when she made that proclamation. An hour and thirty minutes, that was ninety minutes of her life spent that she would not be getting back. Seventeen hundred yen now down the drain, plus other expenses like popcorn and drinks, that had been wasted. Wasted on a movie that she had no interest in seeing in the first place. Such frustration was what led to her briskly traversing along the sidewalk leading away from the theater.

Most people had the right idea to move out of her way.

"C'mon Shizuri, it wasn't that bad." Kamijou weak retort was met only with a scuff as his lover's pace increased; making it harder for him to catch up. "Okay, fine, it was bad and I knew it was gonna be; but you have to admit it was funny at some points. Haven't you heard of something being so bad that it's good? You must've heard about some of those movies that end up going full circle like that, right?"

"Don't you fuckin' try and put a positive spin on this, Kamijou." Yeesh, no need to be so snappy Mugino; the overall cost was basically a drop in the bucket for you. "Honestly, why would anyone in their right mind watch a movie that's obviously shit?"

Good question.

Why _would_ anyone willing watch something that was terrible?

"She has a point you know." Some distance away, another individual added his two yen on the subject; albeit with his not-as-friendly traveling companion. "You've explained it to me before and I still can't wrap my head around why you drool over stuff like that."

Neither can we.

Chalk it up to some people having strange hobbies.

"You wouldn't know the difference between a super quality gem from a pile of garbage. You're a lost cause and your opinion isn't worth super squat to begin with, so shut up."

You are tearing him apart Kinuhata.

Stop it!

To be fair Kinuhata was the (ahem) expert in all manner of B-grade movies. Even then she was largely disappointed by the film in question herself. She of course had a much better appreciation for it than the crowd she was with and currently stalking. However, it did not change the fact that it was still a bad experience for all parties involved. Kinuhata admitted that much, to herself mostly, but hearing the Meltdowner gripe about it was grating her nerves just a little bit. Let it be stressed that it was _only_ a little bit; as in just enough to skirt the threshold of inflicting violence on the nearest living thing around her.

Essentially, yes, that meant hitting Hamazura to alleviate her stress.

Thankfully (for him) it had not (yet) reached that point.

"I dunno, seeing that disturbed look on your face was pretty hilarious." Mugino actually slowed down a bit, but not because of what he said. She was just getting tired of moving at such a rapid pace was all. "Then there was that time when you buried your face into my neck. That one kinda surprised me since I didn't think the scene itself was all that scary."

"Because it wasn't, dumb ass! I just couldn't stand looking at the cheap practical effects and overacting anymore."

"You're one of those people who think CGI is better than cosmetics." Hissed Saiai, valiantly struggling against the urge to scream out her objections. "Can't she tell that the effects were done like that on super purpose to keep the tone consistent?"

Seeing Kinuhata biting the cuff her sleeve in anger, Hamazura wisely kept his mouth shut.

Careful, he's learning.

Back with the couple, Kamijou must have grown skeptical in regards to his girlfriend's move recent response. There was little proof to support this aside from his hand being raised to his chin.

"Are you trying to cover up how you were-"

"No and if you finish that train of thought I'll smack the shit out of you."

"Relax, I'm just messing with you." Admitted the boy, both hands raised in a gesture of surrender; despite Mugino keeping her back to him. Although that did not stop certain degree of mirth from slipping out. "And yeah, you're right, the effects were pretty cheesy. I think they only wanted to keep the budget costs down. But you have to admit a few of those scenes with the bad acting were pretty funny though."

Kamijou was probably the only person in the vicinity to believe so. Meanwhile, some odd distance away, Kinuhata had since ripped off the piece of her sleeve she had been biting down on. Worse yet was that she was already moving in with the intent to suplex the spiky haired youth. Her frustration at their combined ignorance being the sole motivation behind her risking the wrath of Mugino herself. It just so happened that Touma was the last person to speak which made her target him specifically. Alas the only thing stopping her from doing so, that which stood in her way from carrying out this task, was Hamazura.

"Kinuhata, you're dragging me; you're dragging me along the asphalt!"

So basically no one.

"I didn't find anything about what I just saw to be funny, Kamijou." Reminded the girl as the aforementioned teen finally caught up to her. "All I saw was a god-awful movie with shit acting, shit effects, and a shitty waste of time."

Language Mugino-san!

This story has a T (subject to change) rating, remember?

"Oi, Kinuhata, _pleeease_ don't do something you're gonna regret later!"

Apparently Hamazura got himself caught in the moment. He may have had no idea why the younger girl was stalking the two. Hell he did not even realize why he chose to accompany her once the movie was done. Nevertheless he was essentially her accomplice at this point. Therefore, if she were to be caught, then by default so would he. And between the two of them it was more likely that he would suffer more than Kinuhata would. Mugino was just as prone to picking on him as the rest of the girls of ITEM were.

So yeah, he was not about risk getting himself screwed over by Kinuhata's reckless actions.

"I'm telling you, relax, you're taking this whole thing way too seriously." His attempt at reassurance was met with a cold shoulder, prompting him to sigh and scratch at the back of his scalp. "Listen, I'm sorry okay? Next time we'll just find something else to kill time with. Doesn't matter what it is, I'm sure it'll be much better than how this turned out."

"You're damn right it will be. Really, Kamijou, what in the hell were you thinking?" In spite of the fact that she was mildly upset, Mugino was at least willing to look at him now. Some would consider that a mark of improvement. "Sometimes I don't know what goes through that spiky head of yours."

"You sure it's only sometimes? Because I'm pretty sure you aren't the only one." His jest earned him a jab to the ribs courtesy of his girlfriend's elbow; which he taken in stride. "In all seriousness, I don't know what I was thinking; maybe I was looking for something a little less normal."

There was no mistaking it now, Shizuri's mood was indeed improving bit by bit. The proof was in her chuckles which caught the interest of those paying attention, Touma included.

"That's rich coming from the guy who enjoys his minimalist lifestyle."

"Hey now, being mediocre is great and all but even I like to spice things up a bit every now and then." Touma's rebuke did not quell Mugino's quiet laughter; though it would not come as a surprise to anyone that he no such intent. "As long as it's not too exciting, I don't mind breaking away from the norm you know. But I don't want to have that sorta 'exciting' lifestyle where I'm being chased around by some flying mummy that's professing its love for me. Nope, sorry, no thank you; I'm more than happy to miss out on the night terrors caused from that experience! Knowing my luck and being a resident of this city, it _would be me_ who ends up in that situation."

Both observers could see how his body shook from that thought as chills ran up and down his spine.

Surely such a specific turn of events is unlikely to occur, right?

...

Let us hope, for Kamijou's sake, such an experience never comes to pass.

On the plus side, Mugino's laughter picked up by a noticeable margin. Not enough to be full blown laughter but enough for others to tell that she found his comments amusing. Strange considering neither Saiai nor Shiage found what he said to be all that funny. Although righteous fury and overwhelming panic respectively may have been the culprits behind the lack of response there.

"I know what you're doing, but I also think I know where you're head was at." Touma must have been looking confused, much like the spectators were, because Shizuri elaborated soon after. "You liked it because you finally found someone who had shittier luck than you do. Forgetting the fact that it's all fake you still related to that kid's situation, didn't you? That's why you enjoyed that crap; because, for once, it wasn't you."

 _Guiltily_ , Kamijou Touma actually looked away; which, in turn, caused Mugino's fit of laughter to be extended passed its initial run-time. Meanwhile the two spectators listening from a distance were almost left in speechless disbelief.

"...wow..."

Key word being almost.

"There is no way someone's luck can super suck _that_ _badly_."

Stick around Kinuhata and you just might see some shit.

"To be fair, we both went into that movie blind and all I expected was an all around bad movie."

"And you got it, now where are you going with this?"

"Nowhere, what's the point in trying to save face when you're right?" His admittance came with the shrug of his shoulders as he tucked his hands into his pockets. "I still don't think it was bad enough for you to get upset over. Personally, it gave me a better appreciation for those big budget movies and TV shows that we usually harp on. I suppose that goes to show us that we don't enjoy the good things until after we've experienced the bad."

From afar, a certain stalker was once again making her advancement with the intent to do harm. Hamazura, having resigned to his fate, was basically hanging onto Kinuhata as she dragged him along with her. To be frank though, his impression of a human sandbag was nearly flawless. The only thing ruining it for him was the sagely nodding of his head after hearing what Kamijou said. By all accounts anyone who witnessed HighHubb would discover a newfound appreciation for the big blockbusters currently in theaters.

On that note, Shiage never did find out what 'hubb' stood for.

What a disappointment.

"...is that right?" A rhetorical question no doubt, yet that soon became irrelevant. Reason being that Mugino would not have given him time to respond otherwise. "Well then, let's go see if that applies with food as well. You have a promise to keep and I've suddenly got a craving for some nice fatty tuna. Who knows, maybe I'll have a better appreciation for some _quality_ and _expensive_ sushi after snacking on that stale-ass popcorn."

Poor Kamijou would have done a spit-take had he been drinking something. He was not, so instead he proceeded to choke on his own spit as Mugino gripped his arm and took to directing him. Between the shock value and the choking it went without saying that Touma found it difficult to immediately respond. Having been effortlessly blind-sided by his girlfriend, it is understandable that his mind was still trying to register what was currently going on.

Not to mention the follow-up from Mugino which served as the nail in the coffin for him and his wallet.

"You don't have a problem with that, do you Touma?"

That sweet over-the-shoulder smile was criminally effective and they both knew it.

And so, as Kamijou's head sunk, his wallet wept.

Some say you could still hear it's cries being carried along the wind.

"...Hamazura, that had _better_ _not_ be your hand on my chest."

Woops, false alarm.

That was Shiage's inevitable wailings being heard; not the wallet's.

"Huh? Oh, don't worry, I didn't feel anything."

Wrong answer, Hamazura.

* * *

Within School District 7 there is a bridge that spans over a river at around one hundred and fifty meters. This iron railway bridge, in all its grandeur, has since become notable landmark to the many students who live in Academy City. Everyone knew of this bridge and just about everyone crosses it. However, most students don't typically associate this landmark as a preferred dating spot. That being said, there were those who did know the value of this open yet hidden gem of a spot. Those same folk also know that it is a matter of timing which makes this place so special.

For on this bridge there were no high-rise buildings blocking one's view of the sky. No concrete obscuring the vast reaches of water from the river below it. It is the point in which the sun descends that makes this otherwise dull bridge come to life. For as the sun sets, the river below is dyed in the various mixtures of red, orange, purple, and blue; all meshed together in natural harmony. Truly it was a place where heaven and earth came together as one; making it an immaculate location to watch the sun disappear beyond the horizon.

Too bad that was not where Kamijou and Mugino ended up.

Those two were currently on the riverbank _beside_ that same bridge.

Specifically speaking, Mugino was sitting right at the shore's edge. Beside the girl lay her shoes while her feet were currently submerged within the cool waters of the canal. Taking into account the hot weather and the day's heat, such a sensation felt heavenly to her. Clearly evidenced by her relaxed posture by the river's edge; her eyes closed and her body leaned back forcing her to use her arms as a means of support. This pristine picture she painted was tainted heavily by Kamijou's presence to her left. Contrast to the beauty beside him, he was sitting cross-legged and hunched over staring vacantly at his wallet's equally vacant contents.

Spending four thousand yen on a restaurant bill will do that to a typical teenager.

"Dammit, can't you two go somewhere that has some super cover for me to work with?"

Does it really need to be said that Kinuhata followed them here?

From the shoreline there stood a relatively sharp incline which the couple had to traverse down. Relatively, in this sense, meant that one could slip and tumble down the grassy slope if they were not careful. All the same it was also a good spot for someone to simply lay down on without fear of sliding down. The main issue Kinuhata had was that she had to remain at the peak of the incline. Even then she had to stay crouched so as not to be seen. Such a thing would not have been a problem if the action had not made her legs feel all itchy.

Which may explain why she looked and sounded fairly cranky.

"Uh-huh, sure, let's go ask 'em to move somewhere that makes it more convenient for you to stalk them."

Best boy lives!

His face was sporting some bruises and his lip was swelling up a bit.

Nonetheless, Hamazura Shiage was still alive!

"Did you say something super Hamazura?"

As pissed off as he was at the girl, her level of pissed off trumped his. Well, not really, but Hamazura was not in a position to do much against her.

"N-no, nope, nuh-uh; didn't say anything."

One of many reasons why it sucked being a Level 0 and ITEM's lackey.

Anyways, let us not stray too far from the couple.

"...are you done crying over your wallet yet?" Inquired the Level 5, cracking an eye open to halfheartedly gaze at her lover. "Staring at it isn't gonna make your money come back you know."

Let the boy dream dammit!

Alas, Touma himself had his own illusions broken and thus responded with a sigh. A promise was a promise, plus it was not like he did not partake in the consumption of their evening meal. Was it money well spent? Hell yes, however he still had to shed a tear or two for his poor depleted bank card. Having said that, Kamijou's body gradually descended until he was laying flat on the ground, legs still crossed, with his eyes cast upwards.

"Good god Kamijou, are you really that bothered about money?"

Uh-oh, Mugino is getting annoyed.

"Eh, oh no; maybe a bit but I'll get over it." Bomb threat neutralized, good work lethargic Touma. "Just wanted to admire the sky for a bit...while ignoring the small rock pressing into my back right now."

"Sit up then if it's bothering you that much, dumb ass."

"Too late, too lazy, don't feel like moving." Was the instantaneous response the boy gave as his body squirmed a bit in slight discomfort. "It's cooled down a lot since earlier today and right now we're catching a pretty nice breeze. If it wasn't for this stupid rock I feel like I could take a nap right here and now."

Mugino did not follow-up on that statement as quickly as he did hers. Instead the tranquil silence was filled by the soft swishing of her feet churning the water. However, as the two spectators continued to observe, they could see her frame gradually moving closer towards the prone boy bit by bit. After a few moments he must have noticed her shadow because they saw his head turn in her direction just as she too laid down next to him. Never minding the fact that she was laying in the dirt and grass or the fashionable clothing she was wearing. Not that she should care since she could very easily replace it all if she so pleased.

"Shit, I'd prefer a mattress and pillow over this."

Kamijou's response to this was to loop his arm around the girl and draw her closer to him. This act, though spontaneous, was not unwelcome as it did provide something for her to rest her head on.

"Better?"

Her answer was not immediate, taking a moment to adjust herself accordingly .

"Mn, it's an improvement; I'd still prefer a mattress."

That elected a few chuckles from Kamijou, which seemed to resonate with the girl since she spared a few herself. And for a time that was how they stayed, quietly laying on the dirt and grass while gazing at the heavens above. Seeing such a surreal sight might have been the thing that kick-started a certain observer's conscience. Within two minutes Hamazura had come to realize how caught up he had become in all of this. He was sitting there, in a crouch, watching these two right there alongside Kinuhata for God's sake!

"Hey, Kinuhata, this doesn't feel right; let's call the quits and leave 'em alone."

Yet, in spite of hearing his words, the Dark May Survivor remained silent. She remained as motionless as a statue, her eyes fixed on the couple below as her expression remained in a state of perturbed persistence. It sort of made him think of a child being taught patience and yet was growing increasingly frustrated as time went on. Not that he would dare say that part to her aloud. Being treated like a human punching bag, especially if it is twice in the same day, was not fun.

All the same, Hamazura had some morals left in him. Delinquent or not, this all felt wrong and he was not about to keep spying on these two any longer.

"Fine, you stick around, but I'm leaving."

To that end, Hamazura started to inch himself backwards so as not to be seen while steadily climbing back to his feet.

"Hey, Shizuri?"

"Hm?"

And then, just like that, Shiage hit the dirt as if he was being shot at. The blonde delinquent did not need to look at her to know what sort of expression Kinuhata was wearing. In fact he could practically taste the smug satisfaction she was emitting from the air itself. It was for this reason that his eyes currently resembled that of a dead fish at this given moment.

"This might be coming out of left field, but how come I've never met any of your friends?" An innocent question; one that caught more than a few people's interest. "You've already met or know about more than a few of my friends and classmates. But I've hardly heard you talk about or met with the people you regularly hang out with."

"You do know pillow talk usually comes _after_ intimacy, right?"

"Th-that isn't what this is Shizuri."

"Tch, whatever, but what's there to talk about?" For some reason the pitch in Mugino's tone spiked; indicating tinges of irritation. "They're girls that I regularly hang out with; plain and simple. Nothing complex or compelling enough to merit me talking about them. All that's noteworthy about them is a few of their eccentricities and even those things are barely worth mentioning."

In all fairness, Mugino was likely saying all of this to maintain the image he currently held her in. It was unlikely for Kamijou to readily accept someone that resided within Academy City's dark underbelly. Kamijou was as normal as they came and probably only ever got into street fights. Mugino had killed people, many people in fact, and no amount of justification would excuse cold-hearted murder. Knowing the truth about her would undoubtedly result in an end to this grand illusion. This dream, beautiful as it was, would cease to be if he ever came to discover such truths. And the Meltdowner obviously wished to prolong this dream as long as possible.

So, logically, it made sense for her to undersell and dismiss those who were associated with that lifestyle.

Nonetheless...those words still stung a bit.

Hamazura himself could not stop himself from throwing her a look of genuine concern. She did not need to see him to know this, much like he did not need to see her smug look not long ago. While Kinuhata did not appear to be affected by her words, she did feel a prickling sensation in her chest from them.

"...aren't you being a little harsh there, Shizuri?" Kamijou's doubtful inquiry had a brief pause as he stifled a yawn. "Plus that doesn't explain why we haven't all been...introduced yet...wait."

Whatever fatigue that was in his body left him as he suddenly sat up a bit. His posture was slanted a bit as he stared down at Shizuri with an expression neither Saiai or Shiage could see. Same could be said about Mugino's expression too, as Touma's body was currently blocking their view of her.

"You haven't told them yet, have you?"

Beg your pardon Kamijou-san, but that sounded like a line from a drama-filled soap-opera.

"She didn't?"

Hamazura's question, this time, was not met with silence.

"Nope, she super never told us."

Precisely Kinuhata.

Hence the word 'Secret' written in the title of this story.

Unfortunately Kamijou, was not able to hear the commentary coming from the peanut gallery. Instead he had to go by Mugino's response or the lack thereof in this particular case. Because her silence all but confirmed his supposition; it thusly resulted in him reacting in perhaps the worst way possible.

He laughed.

Laughed hard enough to once again fall onto the dirt while clutching his mouth in a feeble attempt to control himself. There was a slight hiccup during this time when the rock he had been laying on jabbed him in the spine. Other than that, he proceeded to carry on with his guffawing undeterred. It did not persist for too long, no longer than it should have, before dying down to faint but hearty chuckles. He must not have been paying attention, because even the observers in the distance noted a certain Meltdowner's body visibly trembling beside him.

"Who would have thought that you would be embarrassed about something like that. Though...I guess I can understand why you would be. I thought I wouldn't hear the end of it from Motoharu when I first tol-bfgff!"

That was the sound of agony coming from a poor spiky haired youth. The cause of which being Mugino, now mounted on top of the boy, who currently had him in a submission hold.

"You think its fine to laugh at me after making me watch that bullshit movie!?" Huh, seems there was some remaining enmity left in her after all. "And why the hell would I be uncomfortable about telling my friends? If I wanted them to know, I would have! As it stands my relationship status is none of their fucking business! So what the fuck led you to think that I'm too embarrassed to tell them Kaaamijooou!"

Gee, is it how you are applying more pressure in that neck crank hold that is giving you away? Could _that_ possibly allude to your current state of embarrassment, Mugino-san? Or perhaps the light dusting of red on your cheeks at the moment? Take your pick but know this: regardless of which option is chosen, what you are doing right now is painful as fuck. Also, why are you even asking these questions to begin with? Touma is too busy trying not to pass out at the moment.

For goodness sake, he has been tapping on your arm for almost ten seconds now!

Where the hell is the referee!?

Apparently, as an act of providence, Mugino had released him after a short span of time. She did not, however, get off of him; choosing to sit on his stomach rather than straddle him at the waist. By itself that part was disappointing in addition to the discomfort of having almost her full weight settled onto one spot. Thankfully Kinuhata and Hamazura were the lone spectators around to witness the sight. Had anyone else happened upon it then it would have surely led to some grave misunderstanding.

Granted, at first glance, it looked like something you would expect from a couple. A bit on the daring side, sure, yet well within the realms of possibility. Closer inspection, however, would reveal that there was nothing intimate about any of this. From an outside view, it looked like an act of supremacy; that or a reminder of who had the higher standing in this relationship.

Kinuhata was guessing it was the latter of the two.

"Not so jovial now, are you Kamijou?"

Touma, having taken to messaging his jaw, simply stared up at the girl as she folded her arms beneath her chest. What expression he currently wore was beyond the spectator's ability to comprehend at the moment. Hamazura, if he were in such a position, would be somewhere between annoyed and mortified. Then again being in Touma's shoes was the last place he would have liked to have been.

"Dunno, scoot back a bit more and we'll see."

Wow, a suggestive jest from the Puritan Wuss.

You are starting to make us all proud Kamijou-san.

"Cute, very cute, but if you haven't noticed I'm not in the mood for your jokes."

"It wasn't a joke, you're not heavy but it's still uncomfortable; get off."

You sunnuvabitch!

We were _just_ giving you props!

"Too late, too lazy, don't feel like moving."

"Don't rehash what I've already said!"

Too late, Mugino already said it.

Despite his complaints, Kamijou did not put much effort into getting her off of him. In fact his body seemed to relax as if he had succumbed to his fate. Unknowingly this served to further spur Kinuhata's belief that Mugino was reaffirming the status quo of who was in charge of this relationship. Said belief was quickly called into question once more when the Level 5's brow furrowed as she stared down at the boy below her. More so when, for no explicable reason, Touma had fished out his phone from his pants pocket.

"What?"

"I'm taking a picture." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world while positioning the device over his face. "Smile!"

"Eh?"

A click of a button later and the picture had been taken. He made full use of this brief moment of confusion, fiddling with his phone before flipping the phone around so that she could see the display. While there was a momentary flash of agitation, it withered away once her eyes focused on the screen presented to her.

"Earlier I said that you can't appreciate the good things without experiencing the bad every now and then. Well then, there you have it; something good from something bad. My luck may be terrible but sometimes it pays to be unfortunate. 'Cause, without misfortune, I wouldn't have seen or been able to take such a great shot."

Whether or not she was paying his words much mind was debatable. Mugino, nevertheless, plucked the phone from his hand without a word to better examine the display. The longer she looked at it, the more she started to fiddle with things like her hair and clothes; probably using the picture as a reference for whatever blemishes or imperfections she had. As she was doing all of this, the corners of her lips started to rise as the beginnings of a smile started to surface on her features.

Evidently Kamijou was not spouting bullshit.

He really had captured something there.

"Um, Shizuri?" Kamijou's interjection eventually caught her attention. "You mind getting off of me now?"

Oh, this cheeky bastard was just trying to butter her up.

Mugino, no doubt aware of this herself, gave a short-lived pause to the notion.

"Nah, like I said, I don't feel like moving." Surprise, surprise, it did not work. "Besides, I'm starting to feel pretty damn comfortable."

"I'm not, this rock lodged into my back is _really_ starting to hurt."

"Well, then, man up and make me move."

That was supposed to be a deterrent, no further thought beyond that half-hearted statement. Taken as a fact considering her attention immediately returned to the mobile phone as started fiddling with the keypad. Kamijou, however, did not simply take that statement lying down. Well, technically, he did but that was beside the point. He did not take it the same way Mugino intended it to be received; rather he took it as a challenge. And with her currently distracted he had the best opportunity to act on this opening she herself had presented him.

With a heave, Kamijou's body sat up from the waist, startling the Level 5 as she slid down his abdomen to his waist. Thankfully his arms had circled around her quickly enough to catch her before she fell back onto the harsh dirt and grass below. Instead of just stopping there though, the lad went further and had actually managed to rock himself forward on hunched legs from a semi-prone position and into a stable crouching position. From there it was all about leg-work as he slowly and steadily raised his body until he was a full standing position.

All the while maintaining a firm hold on girlfriend's frame. Mugino herself had subconsciously wrapped her own legs and arms around his waist and torso respectively. The latter of the two forced her to drop the boy's phone, but that was of little importance.

All-in-all, it was impressive to say the least.

One issue: it looked... _bad_ from the Stalker's point of view.

"Hamazura, quit being a super perv and close your damn mouth."

The functionality in Shiage's jaw must have been wonky. For he had to use his hand to both close it and keep it closed.

"...where exactly are your hands?"

Whatever mental celebration that was going through his head plummeted in an instant.

If Kamijou was not sweating before then he sure as shit was now.

"Didn't want to drop you, sorry."

"Relax, it's fine, to be honest I didn't think you'd...hm?" Kinuhata, in her annoyance at Shiage, failed to realize what the Meltdowner was looking at until it was too late. "Hey, who the fuck is that!?"

Nobody, just some stalkers.

Stalkers that had immediately grown pale the instant they heard her. Especially since she was now using Kamijou as if he were some sort of pole to climb up on.

"Hey, Shizuri, what the hell?"

During this time confusion, Kamijou's body began to wobble and sway, thus forcing him to move accordingly less he and his girlfriend fall over like some tree. It is at this time that we must all reflect on a very minor detail. Earlier, Kamijou had been staring dejectedly at the lack of content within his wallet. What needs to be expressed here is that, when he laid down, he _did not_ put it away in his back pocket. He left it on the ground close to where he had been sitting. Meaning that, when he stood up, he was standing close to his wallet.

Are the pieces starting to fit together here?

All that being said, in his struggle to maintain his balance, he stepped on it. In doing so, the precious balance that he had maintained up to that point had been lost. All because the materials of said wallet had ruined any means of establishing firm footing. To simplify it further; the wallet made his foot slip. Even if he had good balance to catch himself with, Mugino's reaction to his jerky movements ruined any chance of correcting it.

"Ka-Kamijou what the-!"

"Stop moving. Stop moving! _Stop moving!_ "

It was a surreal sight to behold, watching them as they drew closer towards the river's edge. Touma must have been acting on instinct because he did not let go of Mugino's form despite such an action being the logical thing to do. At most she would have only suffered from a sore butt from hitting the dirt. Instead, however, she received something that could be potentially worse. When his foot finally had no ground left to travel on, the gig was up. Like a tree, the two tilted over and the only thing Kamijou had enough time to do was turn to where their left profiles would be the first to hit the water.

On a side note, this was perhaps the only time Kinuhata and Hamazura heard Mugino Shizuri scream. Short lived as it was quickly drowned out (hah!) by the loud splash as the two hit the water.

Again, it was a very surreal experience.

Too bad the two stalkers did not stick around long after that.

"Close, close, close!"

That chanting may as well have been a special form of breathing. Because it was all Shiage had been repeating as he and Kinuhata hauled as much ass as humanly possible _away_ from the scene.

"That was super too close for comfort!"

She did not even berate him for nearly getting the two of them caught. Which spoke volumes of how terrified she was in regards to what nearly happened. Neither she nor Hamazura dared to look back for fear of seeing Mugino's soaked and enraged visage cropping up over the incline. Typical strategy when it came to surviving horror films was to never look back to begin with. Unlike in films, people actually died whenever the Meltdowner was pissed off enough. Right now they were all but assured that, if she caught them, they would both end up dead in an instant.

...to be frank though, their expectations of what followed their hasty departure were far from accurate.

The water level at the riverbank's edge was relatively shallow. Not deep enough for someone to drown if they fell in but not shallow enough to inflict too much harm either. Plus the mud from below did add some extra cushioning to their fall; so even at a water level of 1.2 meters deep they could get up and be relatively unharmed. Soaking wet and maybe a bit muddy, but unharmed nonetheless.

Which is precisely how the two came out of this exchange; soaked but unharmed. Yet, instead immediately trying to get out of the water, Touma just floated there; no anger or annoyance, nothing. His face completely deadpan as he stared vacantly up at the sky once more. Right there next to him was Shizuri who, surprisingly enough, mirrored his actions and expression flawlessly. Down to the deep inhale and sigh that both released as two words were simultaneously spoken aloud.

"Such misfortune."

At least the water felt nice.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

So, I'm back again after being away for about two or so months. I am sorry, but at the same time I'm not sorry. Understand that, as a gamer, a very important game was released at that time. Yup, Monster Hunter World was released, and as of this update I'm sitting at +469 total hours played. Yeah, I played it a lot and you know what, I loved every second of it.

It was thanks to Darkbetrayer asking me to edit his stories that helped get me out of the game. That and boredom; as I'm out of things to kill at this point.

Anyways, in case it isn't clear enough, this chapter is our favorite couple experiencing their first (narrated) bad date. Because, come on, we all have at least one under our belt. Plus the last couple of dates had gone as well as one could come to expect. Mild dosages of misfortune aside, those all ended well; which is a contradiction to Touma's lifestyle. So I figured this was the best time to do this as well as address some of the things you guys have been asking me personally.

As for HighHubb, well, that's just something me and a bunch of other authors on our Discord have deemed to be the OTP of Index. High Priest and former editor of Darkbetrayer's works; who we just call Hubb. So yeah, those two are canon and I regret nothing. Shout out to **Frodofighter** for beta reading this chapter for me once again. Great dude, his taste in shipping is shit, but nevertheless a great dude.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	8. Intermission 2

Greetings to all!

Firstly, I'd like to thank **Darkbetrayer** for taking the time to edit this chapter for me. Dirt bag that he may be, I do appreciate the effort since I was lacking a beta-reader this time around. For the readers, this next part is for you. If you haven't noticed by now, the story's rating has been changed. This has been done in accordance to the guidelines of and this chapter's (as well as future chapters) content.

Take that as you will. At least now nobody can say that I don't follow the rules.

* * *

Summer was in full swing.

The heat radiating from the sun above had a particular habit of making even the mundane activity dismal. The only form of solace that was to be had was when the sun went down. The evenings were cool and more uplifting; a big contrast compared to the oppressive heat from that ball of fire at the center of the solar system. Some evenings, however, could be stuffy or muggy depending on what the temperature during the daylight hours. Sometimes it would feel as though the temperature had not even dropped at all despite the sun's lack of presence in the sky.

Those evenings were often considered the worst sort of nights; especially when trying to get some sleep.

Tonight was one of those nights.

"O-oi, Shizuri!"

And for a certain boy in his dorm room, the evening hours were only getting much hotter.

"Don't 'Shizuri' me! It's hot as hell in here!"

Amusing, a girl with the moniker of 'Meltdowner' was complaining about the heat.

Disregarding the irony of this for the time being, Kamijou had a (semi) valid reason to be outspoken. Mugino, in lieu of more conventional means of cooling off, opted to go with a more direct method instead. By that, we are of course referring to the traditional means of stripping oneself of unnecessary clothing. In this case, it was the girl's top that had been removed; showing off the violet purple bralette she was wearing underneath. While it was, in fact, an undergarment; it was styled in such a way that it actually looked like an undershirt.

Of course, this was coming from your typical male who knew next to nothing about the esoteric distinctions in women's underwear.

At least not when it came to bras; panties were a different matter. That and colors; because any guy knew that pink and white were the epitome of purity and innocence. Then you have colors like black which was mostly associated with...well, that conveyed a bolder message. Those were all moot points as far as the here and now were concerned. The point that was to be made here was that Mugino was stripping. It did not help that she was already wearing shorts. So it would surprise nobody that Kamijou was finding it difficult to look in her general direction for the time being.

All it would take is a little imagination and he could picture her without the shorts.

Coming from a purity wuss like him, that was saying something.

"I would have turned the AC on if I knew you were that hot."

While it may have been true Touma was mostly talking to himself, his voice remained audible enough for her to hear. And she did, which was why she was currently eyeing him as she was in the process of binding her hair up. In doing so, she too could see that the heat was starting to get to him. His flushed face might have been the result of her own actions, but the sheen coming off his sweaty brow was not. That was not the only indication she saw, for there were also wet spots cropping up all over the T-shirt he was wearing.

"Too late now, and besides, if I'm gonna sweat I might as well be comfortable." Retorted the girl, huffing as she gave up on trying to tie her hair up. "How the hell are you not dead yet from this heat? Aren't you burning alive, sitting there fully clothed?"

"Yes."

Short, sweet, and simple; nothing new coming from a Kamijou locked into lethargic-mode.

"Then take something off already, dumb ass!"

"No."

Once more, lethargic Touma struck again; this time following up his retort with a sip from his cup of ice-water. This evening heat wave must have really been getting to him. The Puritan Wuss himself did not so much as blush at the prospect of stripping. He was not endorsing the notion but she would have called him a liar if he said that he was not entertaining the idea. Mugino just happened to do it before he could either stop her or strip himself. So she reasoned his initial reaction was purely the byproduct of how abruptly it transpired, not in the act itself. In all likelihood, Touma had probably taken to treating her as if she was wearing a bathing suit.

Not quite the same experience, but it was close enough.

As Kamijou continued to stare blankly at the flashing screen of the television, he noted a shift of movement coming from his left. He did not dwell on it, having assumed that Mugino was following his example and had retreated to the kitchen for her own glass of ice-water. Her shuffling movements only spurred on this belief, thus the reason he did not avert his gaze from the TV. However, when he actually saw her approach from his peripheral vision; that was when he finally looked.

Boobs.

That is what he saw first.

Wait...correction: it was cleavage.

Not a soul could blame that though for being the first thing he noticed. Those twin hills, pressed together, and coated in a thin layer of sweat that glistened from the light source in the room. Who could miss that? Especially when the owner of such a magnificent sight had been crawling towards him on her hands and knees. They were practically begging to be noticed, a fact that was not lost on the otherwise oblivious spiky haired teen. It would be easy to say this part of the narration was not important. Truly it would be, yet it was important; because of two reasons.

One, it was too hot to not comment on it.

Two, she was sporting a rather devious glint in her eyes.

"...don't you dare." Touma's lethargic disposition swiftly went into deadpan as he said this. "Shizuri, whatever you're thinking about doing, stop thinking it."

His face might have heated up a bit more, but it did not override his sense of awareness. He did not know exactly what she was up to. All the same, he had a feeling that it was going to be something he was not going to be too keen on. Not that his words had any impact on his girlfriend since she kept inching her way closer towards him. Truth be told, the sight itself was...endearing; which Touma would readily admit if he were to be asked. In fact Touma compared her advancement to that of a black panther stalking its prey in some jungle. It was a pretty astute comparison since, as things currently stood, he was playing the role of the prey.

Hot or not, Kamijou took some precautionary steps; by which he leaned his body just slightly to the right as she drew closer. Then, just as she was on him, she stopped; stopped dead in her tracks. Poor Touma could only blink as she reached into his glass, scooped out a piece of ice, and moved away. Shizuri, for all her theatrics, simply settled back into a proper seating position beside him as her eyes returned to the TV. She hardly paid much mind to her boyfriend from that point on as she popped the cube of ice into her mouth like it was a piece of candy.

...was it sad that Touma was somewhat disappointed by this?

"All that for some ice." Groaned the lad, earning him the amusement of his girlfriend. "You could have just asked."

"Where's the fun in that?" Questioned the lass as she sucked on the cube still in her mouth. "Besides, it's too hot to do anything else. If it was cooler, maybe I'd have done something; but it's not, so I won't."

"Then turn on the air conditioner!"

"Don't wanna get up. You do it if it bothers you that much." Hey now, Shizuri could be lethargic too. Though she did peer over at him as the beginnings of a smile took shape on her features. "Oh, and I couldn't help but notice how disappointed you sounded just now. Seems to me like you were expecting something a bit more..."

She purposely left the subject hanging and Touma was guilty enough to turn away; electing a bout of snickering laughter. His poor (less than) innocent heart had been effectively trampled on by the Level 5's teasing remark. Sadly he did not have the audacity to deny the insinuations she was making. How could he? By all accounts it looked that way from his point of view and Mugino knew it as well. So, in the most basic of terms, he just got played and it not-so-secretly annoyed him. Being so easily tricked was frustrating by itself and this wretched heat was not helping him handle it any better.

Neither was Mugino for that matter, having adjusted how she was sitting so she could prod his leg with her foot.

"Could you stop, please?" A genuine request that, unfortunately, was not heeded since her toe-jabs persisted. "You're _really_ asking for it Shizuri. Stop it."

"Asking for what, my 'screwed up illusions' to be broken?"

Hey, _hey_ , _**hey!**_

That line is _not_ something to be snickering at, Mugino-san!

"If that's what you want to happen..." The resigned sigh that accompanied the pensive expression he was sporting were not good signs. "Don't say I didn't warn you though."

Mugino, of course, was not worried; curious sure but not overtly concerned. At least not at first, it wasn't until after Kamijou had moved from his formerly slouched posture to put his glass of water onto the table in front of them that she began to grow suspicious. Instead of easing back into his seating position, as his girlfriend expected, he did something else. Nothing grand, he simply did what he wanted to do earlier and shed the shirt he was currently wearing. This action was not anything major enough to elicit a reaction from the Meltdowner. Average as Touma's body was in terms of fitness, this action only showed just how sweaty the boy really was.

And he thought her chest was glistening in the light.

However, Touma did not merely put the removed article of clothing off to the side upon its removal. This was the point when it was Mugino's turn to notice a gleam in the eyes of that spiky haired boy. By that time, however, it was too late; Touma had already thrown the garment right at her. Not just 'at her' but 'at her face', which it hit as she was too slow to react accordingly. A sputtered outcry was all she could initially respond with as her nose was assaulted by the musky scent that was his sweaty shirt.

It is worth mentioning that Mugino was not some deviant woman; well, not in certain aspects. She was not one of those people who got off to the smell of their partner's natural scent or body odor. Do not misunderstand; she did not have an issue with her boyfriend's aroma. Nonetheless she was not crazy enough about it to go stuffing her face into his clothes or pillow. Having said all that, the first and foremost thought that immediately came to mind after the first whiff was pretty straightforward.

It stunk!

"Kaaamiii–"

Less than six seconds; that was all it took for her to toss away the smelly bundle of cloth from her face. Kamijou, however, had not been idly sitting by during this time. In all likelihood, he was already aware that such a reaction was bound to happen. Subsequently, in that short period of time, Kamijou had already moved in to close what little gap there was between them. He was so close, in fact, that he was practically on top of her thanks to her own change in posture prior to all this. Seeing him there so suddenly, hovering over her with his hunched legs on either side, was understandably startling.

Mugino's eyes did not even get a chance to widen before feeling his (somehow) cool hands on her (mostly) bare shoulders.

From there he simply pushed her as if she were a piece of furniture while forcing her body to turn in accordance to his whims. In Shizuri's defense, she was not given any time to react, much less resist against his actions. Only after her back was pressed against the side of his bed did she realize, to some degree, what was going on. She had basically been pinned. His grip was firm, but not overtly so to cause her any harm. He was keeping her there, indicated by settling his knees on either side of her frame. He did not put any further pressure on her to keep her there; though she knew he would should she try to 'escape' from this scenario.

Not that she was or intended to put up much of a struggle. Quite the contrary, Shizuri was too busy staring owlishly into the dark blue eyes of her captor; completely dazed and caught off by this sudden turn of events.

"I tried to tell you Shizuri; you should've listened."

Words could not describe how badly the girl wanted to fire back a quip of her own. Tempting as it was, she did not want to say anything that could potentially throw him off the rails. Hence why Mugino had opted to bite down on her bottom lip as means to abstain from speaking. Usually it was not in her nature to be submissive or vulnerable in a situation. She was the one who liked to dominate, to be in control, be it in her work, social, or private life. Key word was 'usually' since she was okay with Kamijou overturning their respective roles from time-to-time. Especially in cases like these where he was the one taking the initiative in regards to intimacy.

Truthfully, it was an exhilarating experience that she was guilty of enjoying.

Just do not expect her to admit to feeling any pleasure from being in such a position.

When his hands slid down off her shoulders and down her arms, that was when her composure began to crumble. Goosebumps started to speckle across her skin as his soothingly cold mitts slowly glided across her heated flesh. They curved their trajectory as they descended, sliding down the underside of her forearms before coming to a halt at her wrists. From there, they ascended back upwards, slithering up along the underside of her forearms all the way up to her biceps. Once he reached the top, he simply curved the trajectory again to bring his hands back to her shoulders; only instead of repeating the process again he further up to her collar bones.

When his palms started to make their descent down from there was the point that Mugino moved. Not to get away from him, but to provide space for his hands to work with. Touma did not waste a moment and did so accordingly; skimming along the exposed portions of her shoulder-blades and beyond. By this point, Mugino had become deeply enthralled in her partner's actions; so much so that her eyes had closed while her own hands rose and conjoined behind the boy's neck. This helped as it kept her from falling back onto the bed frame and pinning his hands in one place.

Keeping them locked down was sure as shit not what she wanted.

And it was not what she got either since they persisted in their aimless exploration around her (mostly) exposed back. He did not stop for a moment; from the shoulder-blades all the way down to the base of her spine. Even when he reached the end of the road, he did not stop and found new places to go. He traced along the hem of her shorts, briefly stopping at her hips. He then rose and felt along her sides, before carrying on his journey. Said journey took him to other shores as his thumbs came together at her naval; the tips to his fingers brushing over her hollowed umbilicus.

Their voyage, , did not stop, there since they then proceeded to move up and span out across her exposed and flat stomach. Only after his hands reached her sides did he allow them to remain; caressing her entire left and right sides from her waist to nearly the pits of her arms. Throughout all of this, the chill she felt in every place he touched started to spread out freely all around like water. By this point just about every small hair on her body was standing on edge while mammary glands began to stiffen. Whether it was from arousal, his delightfully frigid touch, or both was not clear to her.

What was clear was that she was enjoying every second of it.

"Someone's looking relaxed."

"Don't ruin the fuckin' moment Kamijou." Snapped the girl, who was now taking her turn to be a tad rosy in the face. She still had yet to open her eyes though, which lessened the impact of her impulsive response by a margin or two. "I should start pissing you off more often if this is how you'll respond to it."

"I'd rather you not." She would have laughed at such a straight answer had he not just slipped his fingers beneath her bralette. "By the way, why are those getting so stiff all of a sudden? Seriously, I haven't even touched you anywhere near there yet."

Uh oh, busted~

"Oh, shut up."

Meanie, you cannot just...oh, wait, that was not a forth wall break.

Sorry, false alarm, please proceed.

"So, Shizuri...is there anywhere you want me to..."

He left the statement hanging while his fingers simply skirted the edges of her upper-undergarment. Only a few of his digits were pushed up underneath it, but they did not stray nor did his hands move beyond that point. Basically, he was being a bedroom bully; giving the impression that she had some measure of control when, in actuality, she did not. Relinquishing that control to someone else meant they had free reign over every action taking place. Touma was not surrendering that privilege, he was just being mean by forcing her to tell him what she wanted.

Needless to say, being forced to say what she wanted out loud was an extremely embarrassing affair. Potentially infuriating as well, since there was no guarantee that he would comply with whatever request she made. On top of that the spiky haired prick probably felt pretty damn smug right about now. Ordinarily this line of thinking would have pissed heroff considerably. Ultimately, she knew that she was in no position to say that he was not allowed to be. First-hand experience showed her how entertaining it was to be in a position of power over someone else.

A certain Level 0 had probably sneezed elsewhere in the city by this time.

"Or do you want me to stop?"

Had her eyes been open, Shizuri likely would have glared at him for such a suggestion. Opposed to that, she pulled on his neck to draw his head in closer as her conjoined hands tensed.

"My breasts, rack, boobs, bra buddies, tits, twin peaks, nips or whatever the fuck else you wanna call them." Emphasizing her point, Mugino took to arching her back to draw her chest closer towards him. All while each term, direct or slang, was decisively slow and softly spoken out from her lips. "I want you to grab, grope, press, pinch, tug, fondle, and any-fucking-thing else you can think of to do to them."

...kinky...

The cheeks on Mugino's face felt as though they were ablaze. A reason for that stemmed from the fact that she had yet to hear a response from Kamijou. Probably because he was just as flushed in the face as she was; despite there being a clear distinction between their individual embarrassment. None of those words would get to her, how could they? She has said far worse things to him in the past. Touma, on the other hand, would be affected by it due to him being the Puritan Wuss that he was. In a way, she was dishing out some well deserved payback for him acting so cheeky.

It made for a pretty damn good passive-aggressive remark in this situation.

"...consider it done."

Well, goodbye T-Rating, it was fun while it lasted.

Mugino did not even try to suppress the playful smirk she was sporting. Not even when she felt his hands take the plunge fully into her bra did the smile fade. Opposed to immediately going for the fun-bags like she anticipated, he did not. He instead went further up to caress the skin beneath her bra that he could not touch earlier. Starting with the sides, he climbed until they were on the edge of the garment before moving back down to repeat the cycle. Off and on throughout this process, Kamijou would switch directions to trail along the hems of the bra; from her spine all the way around to the top of her abs.

But not once did he make a direct course for the bound bouncy bundle of bountiful blessings presented to him.

His fingers were spread out though, allowing them to brush and drag along the sides and underside of her breasts as they passed.

This might have explained why Touma did not go to remove the undergarment from the start. The constriction it provided kept her chest bound, making it easier for him to tease her with these faint and brief moments of contact. No doubt this was his own form of payback and by far it was the more direct form of it. The proof of that was in the fabric as those hardened teats of hers were definitely a result of arousal. Mugino Shizuri might not have gotten off on his scent, but by god she was terribly addicted to his touch.

As much as she enjoyed all of this Shizuri did take issue with a few things. Let it be known that this tender touching business _was_ great and it _was_ turning her on. On the other hand, she would have appreciated something a little more direct than this. Being completely honest with herself, she wanted nothing more than to pull his face into her cleavage and keep him there. At least then she was certain that it would entice him to do more with her breasts. Certainly a great deal more than what he was doing with them now.

The twins were sensitive and did not like being so blatantly teased!

One main reason decisively stopped her from going through with it. That thing being Kamijou's head was slowly drawing closer towards her all on its own accord. Shizuri felt his breath on her skin before she felt his lips meeting with her own. A light peck, barely a graze, was probably all he provided as an initiator meant to transition into something deeper. Good thing Mugino was all for that idea. Before he could pull back, she had already moved to hug his neck with her forearms and thus force a return visit. Dense as he was, Touma got the message loud and clear when her lips reciprocated the gesture.

Such is how their session began, quick smooches that were fleeting yet paced slow. Their lips clicked loudly as they parted ways before once again coming back together. They had long sense built up a rhythm for this little dance. Four months worth of lip locking experience made it hard not to. In saying that, when her mouth parted she was not surprised when she felt his tongue brush against her bottom lip. Another action that she returned in kind just before they broke off and repeated the motions again. One instance had their tongues meeting half-way, to which she prodded his before retreating back into her orifice.

Her eyes cracked open for a moment here to meet the gaze of her partner. The corners of her mouth rose when she noted that he too was smiling. Going back into it, she felt him 'tag' her back, which then turned the dance into a game. A game which, eventually, resulted in her slipping through and slide in beneath his tongue. By which point, it was all about examination as they both took to exploring the other's oral crevice. To brushing along the back of the other's teeth to twirling around their partner's tongue, nothing was out of bounds.

The rhythm was set at a pace not too fast nor too slow; right at the place where the two were comfortable.

Their noses flared as each inhale and exhale grew in intensity. Her hands no longer on the back of his neck but instead lightly caressing along his exposed shoulders. Much like he had done to her, she took to keeping the pacing slow as she stroked along his collar and shoulders. Backtracking upwards, her palms came to gently caress near his face; one on his cheek and the other against the back of his neck. The encouragement was appreciated, since he continued follow with similar motions of his own hands; though he emphasized mostly with her back, sides, and shoulder-blades. Never once, however, did he remove himself from beneath her bra.

To them this was a dance without music, a game without winners or losers. They teased each other, encouraged one another, just as they had done several times before today. Each separation and reunion of their lips and tongues came and went at varying speeds. Steadily increasing the degree of intensity so that no lip lock remained reminiscent to the one before it. But something seemed to be forgotten during the course of this game. Momentarily, mind you, as the hitching of Mugino's breath served to break her from her euphoric episode. It was actually what made her break away from her lover's lips and re-regulate her erratic breathing.

That _thing_ happened to be **two things**.

Those two things being her nearly forgotten chest as her partner's mitts came to caress them.

"It's about fucking time." Came the raspy, yet ultimately satisfied, statement of Mugino as her eyes finally opened. The corners of her lips inclined once more as she was met with the sight of Touma's equally flushed face. "You're a fucking tease. You know that, right?"

"Had to get back at you somehow." Equally out of breath, Kamijou's retort was made in-between light gasps along with a shrug of his shoulders and small smile. "Besides, I didn't hear you complaining all too much about it. Looked to me like you were having fun without me touching them."

"Smartass."

Her light chuckling was cut short by a shudder; courtesy of the tingling sensation that shot straight down spine from the base of her neck to her tailbone. Shizuri was not given a moment to so much as moan before Kamijou's lips reconnected with hers. Her hills had already become quite hot and sensitive over the course of this exchange. So feeling his cold hands on her girls was like dousing a heated flat stove with water. Soothing, satisfying; neither of these terms encompassed what she was feeling at the moment.

For the sake of argument, we will just say that it felt amazing.

More so since Kamijou was not simply grabbing onto them for dear life like fleshy handlebars.

As their mouths and tongues carried on their little game, he was busy showing off his ability to multitask. One of the twins was being carefully massaged in a circular motion, the hardened mammilla trapped between two of his fingers throughout the motions. Given their size it made sense that he could not cup them entirely. So he worked to gently knead it without while simultaneously working the nipple play in. Not the same case with the other, as Touma had taken to a more straight-forward approach by tracing the tip his finger along her areola. He did this while maintaining a limited degree of contact with the nipple itself, though he did press down on it on occasion.

The two distinctive sensations admittedly felt quite anomalous. Neither one was receiving more stimulation than the other, but it still felt strange. That was not to say that it felt bad or that she disliked either action. Quite the contrary, it was an undeniably pleasurable experience for her. It was the cause behind some of her muffled moans while she was busy exploring Kamijou's mouth cavity. Did that take away from the fact that it felt strange? No, it still felt strange to some degree for him to be stimulating her with two separate procedures.

Seeing, or more accurately _feeling_ , Kamijou's hands go to work served as its own incentive. Shizuri herself took to dragging her warm fingers along the flared skin of his shoulders. Her nails, slowly raking against the stuff muscles as they passed them and curved over his collar bone. Only as she came upon the pectoral region of his chest did she allow her fingers to flatten against his skin. From this she was able to make out every detail of his torso as she sensually ran her own appendages slowly down his body.

From his pectorals, his abs, even the series of bumps belonging to his ribcage, every detail was so vivid and clear that she did not even need to open her eyes to envision it all. Most would think that he was rather lanky underneath that plain uniform shirt of his. In truth, there was a decent amount of hidden muscle present there. Admittedly, it was nothing to write home about, but it was still there. Touma, in typical fashion, would likely say that he was average at best and to some extent that was probably true. Not that she had anyone else to compare to since he was the only boy she had been so close to or physically touched in this sort of manner.

Suddenly, Shizuri's eyes snapped wide open as a stifled yelp sprung out of her mouth without warning. Concurrently her nails once again raked across his skin, this time against his back where her hands were currently located. It seemed that Kamijou had grown bolder. He was teasing her engorged nipple and out of nowhere decided to give it a little pinch with his fingers. Hence the shock from the abrupt action caused her to react accordingly. Brief as both his action and her reaction were, it was enough to make them break off from one another.

"Sorry, sorry, that surprised me a bit is all." Her admittance of this came after she had successfully caught her breath. Noting the concern ridden in his eyes, she opted to give him some form of verbal reassurance. "Relax, it's fine. You didn't kill the mood. Like I said, you surprised me. That's all."

"Probably should've said something beforehand." Well yes, he probably should have, but he was busy so it could be forgiven. "Sorry about that. I'll go a bit easier from now on."

"Hell no! Do that again."

Kamijou's raised eyebrow was as clear an indication as any that her response confused him.

"W-what? You sure?"

"No, I'm saying it for my health! Yes, I'm sure!"

Honestly, learn to just nod and agree Kamijou!

Contemplating what she had said, the only response he could immediately provide was a nod. Although he seemed to accept what he was being told, he did not hastily go back to his previous task. His expression had remained thoughtful, which she interpreted as being hesitant.

"If that's the case, then let's do this first."

Ah, it seemed that she was wrong.

As Mugino was about to make an inquiry, she felt his hands retreat before his arms wrapped themselves around her frame. She caught on by then and returned the pseudo-embrace as he got off his knees and started to rise up off the floor. He succeeded without exerting too much effort and before long she was able to lie comfortably on top of his futon. This was an enlightening experience in itself for her since it helped her discover something she had not noticed prior to this. A pleasant discovery one could say, given the playful smile she was sporting as he was in the process of positing himself in a comfortable position.

"When did you manage to get this unhooked?"

Shizuri was referring to the formerly secured bra, now loosely draped, around her torso.

How did Kamijou respond?

He laughed; a short laugh but long enough to demonstrate his amusement before answering.

"Around the time we started making out." Unlike the last time she asked him a question, he looked positively smug as he answered her. "Here I was thinking you would have noticed sooner. Then again, you were getting _really_ into it a second ago. I still haven't been able to catch my breath...and neither have you apparently."

"You sly, smartass, son of a bitch."

Cheeky too but, then again, it was one of the qualities that made him appealing to her. She could let it pass this one time as she shared in the bout of chuckles along with him. As their laughter died down Mugino's body began to fidget in place. Not out of discomfort of uneasiness but rather to move the straps of violet garment from her shoulders to down her arms. Seeing her do this was cue enough to get Touma to lend some welcome assistance. Using the same fluidity as before, Kamijou's palms slid down from her shoulders to her arms; dragging the straps along with them as he went. The arching of her back was the last step required in its removal.

Like the grand reveal at an auction, the covering was swiftly removed from her person and carelessly tossed to the wayside.

And boy, what a reveal.

Twin hills, her glorious round globes, were finally free from their restraints. The formerly bound flesh bounced ever slightly with just about every subtle movement she made. Even the rise and fall of her breathing caused the fleshy mounds to shake. Her fair skin, glossy from sweat, gave compliments to the two small hairless areolas of each breast. Small bumps speckled the ring of pigmented skin around the rigid nipples of similar, if darker, hue. Said nipples, while stiff, were still small and of great contrast to the overall size of her breasts. Privately, Shizuri often thought they were abnormal in that regard rather than being cute little nubs.

Now, obviously, she could not see herself right now.

That said, shifting perspectives for a moment, the way she was laying there below Touma was quite surreal.

There she was, Mugino Shizuri, laying right there underneath him on his bed. Her hands resting atop of his wrists, long soft-tea colored hair strewn about all around her, and above all naked from the waist up. Not even the most vivid adolescent fantasy could come close to conjuring such a splendorous sight. Vulnerable, unguarded, completely open and exposed without shame. In spite of the sexual tension and arousal, he could not help but admire her splendor. Pride, status, none of those things held any meaning here. A testament to how far they had come since this relationship began and it was all for him to witness firsthand.

Forgiveness could be given to Kamijou for getting caught in the moment and not immediately picking up where they left off.

Who would not after being exposed to such a colossal amount of sex appeal from such a stunning young woman?

"...well?" Face tinting red, Mugino's head turned slightly as her gaze moved elsewhere. "You gonna sit there and stare at 'em all night or what?"

Her insistence was a result of embarrassment rather than arousal, as indicated above. Touma's thousand mile gaze was making her more self-conscious than she cared to admit. Compiled with his silence and you could bet that any girl in this situation would feel an inkling of unease. Shizuri, of course, would forever deny such feelings; her pride as a woman remaining steadfast.

"...damn you're beautiful..."

Bit of an understatement there Kamijou; although it did make her face flush a darker shade of red.

Mortified by her own embarrassment, Shizuri did not turn to face him upon hearing this.

She was eventually not giving a choice in the matter as Kamijou cupped her cheek and turned her to face him. Her eyes met with his again while her heated cheek leaned further into his wintry palm. The distance between their faces lessened until there was no more to be had. However, Kamijou did not kiss her; not on her lips anyway. He was instead assaulting her jaw, leaving a trail of light kisses along it starting near her chin. She would have pouted had she not enjoyed what he was doing.

Speaking of, while his hand was nice on her face, it had better things to be doing right about now.

Hand still on his wrist, she used that leverage to force his hand to move. There was no resistance so there was no need for her to rush the trip. Hence why she only guided its trajectory, not its pace. The goose bumps returned as he traversed slowly down the side of her neck, shoulder, then collar. When his palm came upon the round mound of flesh, she gave him an indication of her wants. The tightening of her grip was her non-verbal cue and he understood it at once.

A low hiss escaped her lips as she felt his hand forcefully squeeze her left breast. She could feel his fingers as they sunk into her fold to the point she was sure they were barely exposed. Then, as abruptly as the rough treatment came, the contraction ceased. His grip loosened, fingers expanded as the center of his palm remained in one place while he fondled the flesh like baker's molded dough. All while his lips and teeth nipped and brushed along her jaw line until reaching the pinnacle. From there, he moved towards her ear, taking the lobe into his mouth for a moment before releasing it and carrying on down the side of her neck from there.

It perhaps should be mentioned by now that neither party was entirely on the futon. Mugino was mostly on it, save for her calves and feet which were hanging off the side of the bed. Kamijou, on the other hand, was leaning forward as he was, mostly, still standing by the bedside. So as he was starting to really get into this, his body gradually became flush against her own. Meaning that certain organs may or may not have been brushing against one another by this point. If they had, Mugino had not noticed due to multiple factors and distractions taking place over the course of time.

Or maybe she just ignored them for the current pleasure.

As Touma descended further along down her neck, she could feel his hips brush along her inner thighs. This prompted her legs to tighten and her calves to rise and circle around his waist. Her ankles interlocked, keeping him where he was, while his hands and lips continued to gratify her heated skin. Soon after this, her right breast began to receive stimulation as well, indicated by another moan as both were given another harsh squeeze. Instead of lessening the pressure all at once, Touma did so gradually as he pulled up towards the twin peaks. Only after he reached the top of the hills did he fully release her from his grip.

He did not, however, take his mitts off of her chest.

Instead, his fingers moved down the previous avenue prior to the bra's removal. This time he traced along the outer ridge of both areola instead of making her experience two different sensations. The steadily spiraling of his fingers drew closer towards the center before moving up and pulling back to where they started. This little game of his persisted as he nipped, licked, and sucked at the nape of her neck. Clearly he wanted to leave a mark and, despite Shizuri's mental protests to the notion, she could not bring herself to verbally refute against it.

Hell she was practically encouraging him to do so. Her hands had long since left his wrists and had moved up a bit in the world. One of her arms was currently going across his back near his shoulders blades. The other, which was doing the encouraging, was at the base of his skull with its index finger tangling through what loose hair he had. Clearly on some subconscious level she wanted this. Not to say on a conscious level she did not; but logically she knew that the blemish he would undoubtedly leave behind would be noticed.

But...was that truly a bad thing?

Maybe it was about time she told the girls what was going on. This could be the catalyst to breach the subject she had been putting off for so long. She did not care what they thought of Touma. Shizuri was never looking to impress anyone by the revealing of her lover. She was content with the way things have worked out over the past five months. More so than she would have ever imagined she would have when this union began. Besides, the rest of ITEM would eventually find out about this little affair of hers.

Why bother continuing to hide it?

Again, was it truly a bad thing if it was noticed?

That was the logic she used to justify and thereby allowed him to do as he pleased.

Logic however took a back seat as a familiar feeling broke her from those thoughts. It was the feeling of Touma's thumbs and index fingers tenderly placing pressure on each of her rigid buds. It was like she was being shocked by a low voltage electrical current. Sharp and painful, yet the pleasurable tingling sensation that came after could be felt all the way down to her toes. This time she did not hiss, she flat out groaned more audibly than she had that night. The fact that Touma did not release her, applying a slight twist as he pulled on them instead, only made the feeling more intense.

Her back arched in accordance to the elevation as Touma's fingers continued to slowly pull and twist her nipples. Fingers flexing, her nails dug themselves into the flesh of his back and her grip on his head intensified. The same could be said for her legs too, as they tightened up while her toes started to curl. She did not register the fact that her eyes were beginning to tear up. Nor did she acknowledge the fact that Touma was looking at her in evident concern. What she _did_ realize, at this point, was this particular act clearly stirred something in her loins.

And it was fucking _hot_ ; like _boiling_ hot.

The sort of hot not even Touma's frigid palms could douse.

...of course, she would not say no to him trying...

As her back arched to near a painful degree, Kamijou suddenly let go. The abrupt loss of stimulation nearly made her whine as her back eased back down onto the futon. Almost being the decisive term since, as quickly as it left, it returned. Dim as he could be at times, he was not so dense to not take note of her reaction. Thus explaining why he took to rolling the hardened mammilla of her right breast between the same two fingers. Not to the same intensity as before, but still hard enough for her to feel and enjoy it. Meanwhile he had decided to go back to fondling the other as he had previously; with the occasional rough groping thrown in for good measure.

Yet the flame that had been ignited within her continued to burn.

In fact it started to feel like it was growing stronger with each passing second.

"Kamijou, I shit you not. If you stop, I _will_ kill you."

Mugino's words came out in-between gasps as the tension started to climb to higher levels. She did not get a verbal response, merely a grunt of acknowledgment, and that was fine. She was more focused on the feeling that was continuing to swell up inside her. Like a coiled spring, Touma's actions were essentially tightening it into a much more compact state. All she wanted was to experience that contracted spring snapping all at once. Having said that, when the stimulation ceased to be in her left breast, she was half tempted to force it back in place. What stopped that temptation was the fact that it was sneaking its way downwards.

As his hand gradually slithered down her body, she felt his tongue trace along her neck as his head moved back upwards. By the time he reached her jaw line, his fingers had already brushed against and passed over her navel. When he reached her lips, she did not even provide him a moment to initiate it himself. Her lips crashed against his own as he traced a few laps around her umbilicus with his fingers. This persisted for a short time before she felt those same digits slip underneath the last remnants of clothing she was wearing.

Her moans reverberated through his mouth when she felt him gently tug on her teat; once again causing her spine to curve slightly. No doubt Kamijou was probably sporting some marks on his back as her nails scraped across his skin. Shizuri felt him wince, heard the rumbling in his throat from the pain, yet the lip session did not stop. She would likely need to apologize to him about that later, but that thought was so far back in the recesses of her mind that she would likely forget about it.

What was important was what was taking place in the here and now; not in the days to come.

And what was taking place was something she found both delightful and agonizing. It was much like it was with her breasts; his path was not directly leading toward the treasure within the forbidden valley. She could feel his fingers come into contact with the thin patch of pubic hair just above his prize. That marker gave him perspective, prompting him to inspect other areas. Tender were his motions, the traversal of her pelvic region being deliberately slow in pace. Another shudder came once she felt his flattened hand stroking along the smooth skin of her thigh.

Starting from the pelvis joint, he ascended upwards, almost to the point of passing the leg hem of her shorts. Curving around, he then moved to stroke down her outer thigh, curving again as he was coming up to her rear. But, instead of gliding along the same path, he went all the way around to her inner thigh. It was that which served to be the course he would take from then on. Problem was each time he passed the junction between her leg and groin, his thumb would brush against the edge of her precipice. Not once, not twice, but after every single return trip his hand made this happened.

Either he genuinely did not realize it or he did and was pretending to be ignorant. Whichever the case may be, tantalizing her intentionally or otherwise like this should have been considered a crime.

Worse yet, Mugino came to realize that this torturous process would not stop there.

The first clue had been the moment his palm was no longer brushing against her leg. Clue number two was when the tips of four of his digits started to drag along the flesh nearing her groin. The biggest clue was when she felt his fingers pass the junction and brushed against the main lips of her vulva. Sadly, he had only bypassed the shorts she was wearing so it was not as direct as she would have liked. Sadder still he did no more than brush passed them. In its place, he touched down at the opposite junction and repeating the same motions for her other leg.

It felt great, she would not argue that, but it was also driving her mad.

Remember that spring analogy?

Yeah, by now that spring was coiled up so tightly that it was on the verge of breaking. The deliberately slow progression of his mitts, the assault of her breasts, and now this? Shizuri was at her breaking point and eventually something had to give. Her desire to have those fingers spreading apart her entrance and entering her folds could not be aptly described in words. She desperately wanted to feel that frigidness enter her furnace and quench the burning coals inside her. The anticipation, longing, eagerness to feel that elation made it all the more dreadful when it was not approaching quickly enough.

This tenderness and slow pacing, while amazing, was not what she wanted.

What Mugino wanted was to experience the most gratifying finger-banging her pussy had ever felt!

She wanted to experience that and cum hard enough to see _spots!_

That was whatshe wanted to tell him in precisely that crude and straightforward manner. No room for misinterpretation, no beating around the bush; just an honest to god desire to get her jollies off. Yet the only time she broke off from their kiss was to breathe. By the time she had caught her breath, Kamijou would go straight back into another intense lip-lock. Such was the cycle they had built up to this point. The main difference between then and now was Touma being the more aggressive one in this particular moment in time.

With everything he had done leading up to this point it was not hard to surmise that this was intentional. Meaning that, in all likelihood, _everything_ he had been doing was deliberate as well. Doing just enough to get her to the edge but purposely not going any further than that.

Making him a _filthy fucking tease!_

That realization was what made her finally put her foot down. Actually, it would be more accurate to say she brought her teeth down; namely on his lip. That served to make him yelp from the pain, ergo allowing them to break off from one another.

"Quit fucking with me, Kamijou!" Growled out Mugino between grasps, leveling him with a glare fueled by frustration. "You've had your fun, so knock it off with the teasing and get to the good part already."

And this is why Mugino did not typically like giving away control. Great as all this was, she was not renowned for her patience. He knew it, she sure as shit knew it, and so they were both on the same page on that standpoint. That being said, why was he looking at her with that flat, almost disappointed, look of his? Did she piss him off again? Was this all just part of his groove and she offset it due to her own impatience? Sure seemed that way, considering how still his hands had become.

"Mugino, you didn't need to do that." Hearing him call her that instantly caught her full attention. It also made her fully aware of how grave her error was just now. "I would've had no problem with that if you had just given me a sign or something. Plus, you do realize that it's _me_ who's doing most of the giving here right?"

True enough.

He was not wrong, since it was her who was receiving all of the pleasure right now. Which was why Mugino's glare quickly faltered as her eyes shifted elsewhere. Mugino wanted to refute against that, but in this instance she had nothing to retort with. This is why she opted to say nothing. In her haste to achieve an orgasm, she had soured the mood; ironic since he was the one who was typically afraid of doing that. As she was about to mutter out her apology, however, she felt those same cold hands of his move again. And before she herself could say otherwise, she gasped once she felt his digits run along down the main lips.

Not just that either, but the formerly tender rolling of his fingers on her nipple became much harsher; making her back arch again. Her moans grew in volume as volts of pleasurable waves rushed straight into her brain.

"Then again, I didn't really give you an opportunity to do that now did I? Which means you're right, I was playing a bit too much before and I'm sorry about that." Her eyes were clinched shut so she could not see his face right now. But there was no mistaking the mirth in his voice. "Still, damn, you didn't have to bite me so hard. Don't worry, it's fine. You got your message across, so it's only fair I give you what you want."

Not once did he let up as he spoke. The fingers on her breast twisted and pulled harshly and with little restraint. Her own hand, which had left his back some time ago, was now clutching the sheets of his bed tightly in her fist. The sensations of pain she felt were intense, but so was the pleasure she felt from it and her loins. His other meat hook had maintained its slow and steady motions as it grinded against the outer lips of her snatch; from the center of her pubic mound to nearly making contact with her perineum.

Just because it started that way did not mean it would remain.

"This _is_ what you wanted, right?" Was he channeling his inner sadist? Based on how it sounded it sure as hell seemed like it! "I can ease up if you want me to...or do you want me to be a bit harsher?"

Her mouth was completely dry and the only thing she could verbally produce were moans. Moans that grew louder as she felt him change the motions and started to trace circles against the outer labia. She could feel a damp spot gradually growing as her panties absorbed the fluids she was secreting. By this point her inner lips were beginning to swell, which did not go unnoticed. Saying that, he altered his focus onto them upon feeling them through her underwear. Hissing through her teeth, her body tensed and her hips bucked as the sensitive nerve endings proceeded to be stroked by his chilling mitts.

"Go ahead and tell me if this feels good."

Fuck yeah it feels good!

That was what she wanted to yell, maybe even scream, but again she could only produce moans. He knew the answer anyway; the cues were all there. Head thrashing about, her fists continuing to tug on the sheets held in her iron grip. Each labia, both inner and outer, were given individual attention with his strokes. First left, then right, coming to the center, then back to the left. Such was the cycle, though he did switch from tracing circles to stroke them top to bottom. There was no pattern. It was all up to his whims; leaving her at his complete and utter mercy.

Then his slow and steady motions picked up in pace.

Once that started to happen, he simply took to stroking along her slit. Not just petting it either, his middle and index finger took to being the only active participants here. As they went down, they fanned outwards; spreading the outer labia. As he came back up, he closed them. The tips of his digits brushed against and pulled at the inner lips as they went by. It kept going in this manner and the material of her underwear gave it a more textured feeling; despite it dampening. One particular climb upwards saw an end to that, as he climbed up to her pubic mound and finally slipped underneath it.

Kamijou's cold digits finally made direct contact with the ablazed protective lips of her vulva.

The sensation Mugino felt from those same, yet direct, gestures was high substantial.

There was no denying or stopping it now. She could feel something coming. Her legs were starting to shake as they tightened further around the boy between her legs. Toes curling to the point that she was certain they were cramping up. Shizuri could care less, her cup had nearly overflowed and Kamijou was continuing to fill her glass. She wanted this and by the maker she was getting it. Overwhelming as it may be, this was exactly the thing that she had been waiting for all this time. Her breathing became labored. Her eyes were now wide open and looking desperately at the boy above her.

Without so much as a warning, she forced Kamijou's face against collar with free hand. Her forearm wrapped behind his neck to keep him there, as something was on the verge of bursting.

"It's coming! It's coming! It's coming! It's coming! It's coming!"

That was all she could truly say between her shuddering panting breaths.

Utterly riveted by the sensory overload, Mugino's jaw clinched as her entire body grew rigid. Most think that the silence was a bad thing but in truth it was sign of suppression more than anything else. If anything she wanted to scream. Just one more push was all she needed. Words could not detail how close she was and Kamijou was not going to leave her on the brink like this. Proven when the tips of his fingers neared the peak, they made a stop. Stopping to give attention to the small bud that they had teasingly been brushing up against all this time without fully putting their focus on.

The tips of those two fingers came together and gently began to rub against it.

Citreous stimulation was the final straw that broke her. Her fist slammed hard against the futon in response. Mugino's hooked ankles parted as all strength left them as well as her legs. Mugino's entire body shook and jerked as her jaw un-clinched; causing her mouth to become agape in a silent scream. She could only lay there, her eyes wide, riding the waves of pleasure that were wreaking satisfactory havoc throughout her body. He did not stop either, not when her hips shook and bucked against him did he stop. Even when she sunk her teeth into his collar to keep from screaming did he stop.

Because, at long last, she got her wish.

Mugino Shizuri was seeing _white!_

Blindingly brilliant white.

...white...

White was a strange word here as it sounded vaguely similar to _Light_.

Those two can get confusing since, well, light is typically associated with the color white. Is that truly its color? Well, yes actually, as the color black is merely the absence of visible light whereas white contains all wavelengths of light. That was a mouthful. The point was white and light are virtually the same thing. This is where the confusion lies; because that was what Mugino ultimately saw. It was the first thing she saw in fact as she blinked away the spots now floating along her vision.

This is the part where things begin to come into perspective.

The window to her right was where the source of said light was coming from. Through the crevice left in the curtains a couple rays of sunlight managed to slip through. Strewn sheets lay about her with most of them spilling off onto the floor below. Clutched between her arms and legs was the softness of a large plain looking body pillow. Beyond that, there was nothing else to be found here; no other bodies occupied the mattress. The latter of those two small details were what made Mugino realize, even in her dreary state, this was not where she was moments ago.

She was not in Kamijou Touma's room, on his bed, at his dorm.

Mugino Shizuri was in her own room, on her own bed, at her own shared apartment.

"The fuck...?"

Her hair a mess and still blinking away the bleariness, Mugino sat up as she tried to attain a better grasp of her situation. One moment she was experiencing the greatest orgasm of her life and the next she was in her room. No part of that felt like a dream but there was no other explanation to why she woke up here. Which meant that it was, a realization that was slow in coming to her due to her own groggy state of being. Truly it was a jarring thing to wake up to all things considered. Everything about it had felt so vivid and real up until that blasted sunlight spilled into her room. Sure as hell did not help that she felt as though she was burning alive.

Yet another factor she was slow to realize until she took in her state of dress.

Or, more like, her state of _undress_ since she was bare from the waist up; much like in her dream.

Taking this knowledge into account, Mugino gave pause for a moment as she tried to dust off the cobwebs in her brain. With the fog induced from her slumber trickling away, her mind was starting to recollect the prior day's events bit by bit. She remembered spending most of it with Kamijou all the way up until the evening. After their little dip in the river, they went back to his dorm for a change of clothes. From there she recalled staying with him for a reasonable amount of time after the sun had set. Which was about a few hours before curfew kicked in if her memory served correctly.

She had wanted to stay longer, perhaps even stay the night again, but unfortunately he had hurriedly shooed her out. His sis-con neighbor, apparently, sent him a message saying that their dorm manager was doing rounds that evening; which explained why she had to leave. Level 5 or not, Touma did not want to deal with the hassle thus forcing her to depart. At the very least he walked with her most of the way home.

As most of started to come flooding back to her, some bits still were not making sense. Specifically in regards to this stagnating heat that forced her into this sweaty state. The heat was not too unbearable when she went to sleep last night. It should not have been this unbearable now to be honest. For Christ's sake ITEM's shared apartment had air conditioning so it was not like they used window units to keep cool on hot days. Frenda hated the heat so she usually kept the temperatures at a minimum of sixty degrees Fahrenheit at all times.

"Why in the fucking hell was it so damn hot in here!"

And as if a messenger from God itself came to answer her, someone knocked on the door to her room.

Mildly surprised, Mugino clicked her tongue. She pushed the body pillow to the floor and got out of bed. Not even bothering to make herself more decent she went straight for the door. The person she found there was Takitsubo of all people, somehow able to wear her track outfit despite this damn heat. The usually dazed girl did not look even remotely fazed by it as her dazed eyes took in Mugino's disheveled state of being.

That spoke volumes of how little she gave a damn.

"We lost power last night."

Informative as that was, it remains to be a tad odd for this to be the first line you say Takitsubo-san.

Especially after three chapters worth of absence.

"How?"

"I heard you yelling from the hall."

Terrific, that answered that question.

"Not that, I mean how'd we lose power?" Grumbled the girl as her hand rose to remove the crust from her eyes. "This complex has backup generators, doesn't it? They should have kicked in the event of a power outage. Even then, the AC should have started back up the second the power came back on. "

Takitsubo did not seem to have an adequate response to that, which is why she chose instead to shrug her shoulders. All that prompted Mugino to do was release a sigh of exasperation as she removed a bit of sweat from her brow. This surely was the worst set of circumstance for her to wake up to. Having said that, and now that she was mostly awake, the Level 5 figured that she might as well carry on with her usual routine the best she could. They had power, which meant that they likely had plumbing, so now the only matter was seeing if they still had hot water.

Actually, a cold shower sounded pretty good right now.

Slipping passed Takitsubo, the Meltdowner made a beeline for the bathroom down the hall. Unfortunately, she missed the look of awareness that flashed in the AIM Stalker's eyes as she stepped out into the hall. Blissful unawareness and grogginess made for a deadly combination. Reason being was soon discovered as she caught sight of someone coming from the other end. This person was a male, a male who had just happened to freeze in place once he caught sight of her. Ordinarily his presence would have been ignored given how insignificant Hamazura existence was to her. What made this instance different was, again, her current state of undress.

Hence why _she_ stopped dead in her tracks as well.

And so the formerly hot atmosphere dropped to below freezing.

"I'll...uh...I'll see myself out."

No, sadly, you most likely will not.

" _ **Haamaazuuraa!**_ "

At least he got a good view before he died.

* * *

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, a certain boy had also woken up with similar issues.

A lack of air conditioning, spoiled food due to the refrigerator losing power, things of that nature.

Unlike Mugino, Touma knew the cause behind this inconvenience to his morning routine. Said cause was a certain middle school girl belonging to a prestigious school in the School Garden. Apparently she had not forgotten their earlier run-in that day. Nor was she not all too happy with him for reasons he still did not fully understand.

Only reason he came across her again was because he decided to go with his girlfriend on her way back home. He still had to thank Tsuchimikado for giving him the head's up on their dorm manager's surprise inspection. Likely his way of repayment for that one incident that ended with him being sucker punched. He still never quite found out where Shizuri lived, but that was fine. Knowing she shared her apartment with her friends helped him understand why. These were same friends she was too embarrassed to inform about her relationship with him.

A cute factor, in his mind at least, that most would not associate with the ever confident Level 5.

On his way back was when he caught Misaka Mikoto in the company of some rather shady folk. Why she was dealing with a bunch of thugs was still beyond him. To make a long story short, he ended up being chased through District 7 by a full throng's worth of delinquents. The chase concluded when he ended up meeting back with the troublesome girl by the very bridge he had been to around sunset. This ultimately led to her going full biri-biri on him; hence the massive blackout.

And to think he was trying to help _them_ get away from _her_.

All he got for his efforts was some unwanted late-night exercise. As well as a morning without any of his appliances working; which was fun. Not really of course, but at least he managed to avoid having to take classes over the summer. His grades were now good enough to avoid that, despite his friends otherwise considering him a traitor. He had Mugino to thank for that. Her tutoring during the evenings she stayed over really saved him. Not by a large margin, he just barely scraped by, but a bullet dodged was still a dodged bullet.

This meant he could now afford to enjoy his summer break. Which implied both he and Mugino had more time to spend with each other. Optimistic thoughts such as those were perhaps the biggest saving grace to happen to him that morning. It may explain why he was not too upset at the busted fridge and his now broken bank card. Having something to look forward to for the summer was always a good thing; even if it started in such a lousy way.

You could not refute that logic, especially when you are someone as unfortunate as Kamijou Touma was.

Optimism is great is it not?

"Let's get you outside."

The weather was nice, despite the boiling temperatures, so airing out his futon would be a good way to start his day. The list of activities he could perform today was not limited, no school to rush to or classes to attend. Taking things one step at a time was the sure-fire way to enjoying the reprieve from schoolwork. Temporary as this peace would no doubt be, as summer would be over before he knew it. That was where his head was at as he stepped out onto his balcony.

Strangely, he found another futon already laid out on the rail.

"...huh?"

Said 'futon' moved in accordance to his voice. In an instant, warning bells began to siren in young Kamijou's brain. _That_ was no futon, but rather person garbed in white. The more it moved, the clearer that truth became to him. Not just any person though, specifically it was a young girl with silvery-white hair garbed in white robes and a nun's habit. When said girl opened her eyes, he found himself meeting those big green eyes head on. In this moment, Kamijou had absolutely nothing to say about this bizarre occurrence.

Not to worry, she would have beaten him to the punch anyway.

"...I'm hungry..."

Yes, that was the first thing she said.

No, this was not some part of a dream.

* * *

Gotcha~

DB: Figured I should give everyone the real ending here.

Touma woke up to realize it was all a dream. Mikoto snuggled up next to him as he remembered where he was. He patted her head and went back to sleep, wrapping his arms around her. "Nuns are scary," he mumbled before falling asleep.

SF88: Fuck you, Dark. Don't go trying to give my readers nightmares.

Ahem.

I'll be frank; I could not stop myself. I started this as a potential future installment and it eventually spiraled into what you have now. The draft for chapter 8 was in the works, but this one came out much smoother and I actually preferred it over the other. Plus this is not just another means to punk you guys. That was the primary goal initially which I won't deny or apologize for. It was a prerequisite to establish a few things for future chapters. Like, for example, where in the canon timeline this story takes place. A big question that a few of you have been asking about for quite some time now.

That is not all there is to this chapter either. It's also for preemptive exposition regarding small details that now do not need to be mentioned in future content. Since I'm a stickler for details, addressing them beforehand means I don't need to do it again. That's good because it cuts down the time it'll take for me to get to the juicier bits when the time comes. On top of that, I just wanted to give another test run with my smut writing. On that note, if you're unhappy with it, please remember one critical element here.

These two are _**lovers**_ ; they are not _**fuck buddies**_. If you want to read about two people boning with reckless abandon, go elsewhere and get your jollies off. Sex is an activity in this story, not the focus of it. If that knowledge bothers you, then once more, feel free to go elsewhere. Most of you should already be aware of this by now. I'm simply making my stance on the matter crystal clear now rather than later.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	9. Trial

Greetings to all!

Fun Fact: Did you know that Ami Koshimizu, the voice actress of Mugino Shizuri, was the same VA for Holo from Spice and Wolf?

I can't get the mental picture of Mugino with those ears and that tail out of my head. So, to those of you who have a vivid imagination like me, you are welcome.

Now can someone please make this happen?

* * *

There's a saying somewhere that, in life, there is no such thing as coincidence.

Wait...this opening has already been used.

Oh well, it is worth repeating given the circumstances.

We would all like to believe that something, such as fate or destiny, has placed us on the path we are on for a real reason. Our existence, our individual lives, must have some great meaning to it. We, as individuals, would much rather believe that there is a scheme, a bigger reason, or a role in our lives that we are meant to accomplish. Sure, we may never know what exactly that reason is. We could spend our whole lives searching for that answer and all-the-same turn up empty handed at the end. But maybe, just maybe, we have a greater purpose in life than we ourselves can realize.

Such a belief is enough to get some people out of bed every day.

Holding on to faith and hoping that, one day, they find an answer to that ever elusive question.

So what did Misaka Mikoto believe?

What was her answer, her reason?

Truthfully that question was fairly difficult for the Ace of Tokiwadai to answer. She could go through the routine motions of day-to-day life without too much care. The goal of reaching the status of Level 5 had since been achieved. Beyond that, there hardly stood any short-term goals or motivations. For all intents and purposes, she had attained her goal and everything that followed it served as a means to maintain it. She hardly had a reason to dwell on matters regarding her place in the world. She hardly cared enough to wonder if there was a greater meaning to it all either.

Simply put, she lived her life one day at a time.

For her that was enough.

It was something worth asking considering everything that had happened today. The Level Upper incidents caused by Kiyama Harumi had been a matter she personally criticized. Initially the Electromaster found the practice behind the whole ordeal to be distasteful and a cheap means to an end. It was a spit in the face of every person who had worked hard to achieve their rank legitimately. Misaka herself had started out as a Level 1 and had eventually risen to be one of the seven Level 5's in the city. She did not have to, in essence, cheat her way to achieve it either. She truly worked for it and she was thus rewarded accordingly for her efforts.

So, in her mind, if she could achieve such a status then, theoretically, anyone could do it too.

But it's easy to talk about success after you have already achieved it. It's also easy to tell a stranger they just are not working hard enough towards their goal. What is not easy is identifying with someone who was, in fact, powerless. Especially when one considered how long Misaka has been a Level 5 in addition to not starting out as a Level 0. She always had power, no matter how weak it was. She still had something to work off of.

Her friend, Saten Ruiko, did not have that foundation.

Which is what made her collapse from succumbing to that temptation such a harsh pill to swallow.

Even now, with everything seemingly returning back to normal, Misaka still blamed herself for it. Blamed herself for carelessly dismissing the feelings of those lesser than herself. The feelings of those who were trying just as hard as she had, yet saw no signs of change or improvement. Their aspirations, their hopes, all of that and more were expressed through the network designed by Kiyama Harumi. That massive cognitive network which eventually gave birth to the AIM Burst. Through that creature, that monstrosity, the Railgun came to understand the woes of those who had lost hope.

Her insensitivity for their struggles justified the resentment she and other high level Esper's often received.

For that reason, Misaka had opted to keep her visit with Saten short. Not from guilt per se, but rather for the sake of clearing her own head. To reevaluate her line of thinking and the beliefs she had held on to up until this point. Although, in all honesty, there was still some lingering guilt that remained. And so, despite being bruised and fatigued, Misaka took to roaming about District 7 as her mind wondered. No set destination in mind and no place she had any real desire to visit. She just aimlessly walked around while successfully ignoring the minor aches and pains from her previous escapades.

Eventually she found herself in a familiar environment; specially in front of magazine rack in a convenient store.

"Looks like the manga section here hasn't been updated yet." Her tone spoke volumes of her fatigue. That or it was disinterest in this particular pastime of hers; it was hard to say which it was. "Strange, they're usually pretty good about that...or maybe they're sold out."

With a weary sigh, Misaka's gaze shifted up towards the window to view the flow of human traffic outdoors. Despite the danger presented from the AIM Burst, everyone was carrying on as if nothing had happened. Shoot, it had not even been that long since then and yet things were proceeding as they normally did. Then again it was possible that the incident may have been contained well enough by Anti-Skill and Judgment to prevent mass panic. It made sense for the masses to remain ignorant of an incident of such nature. Keeping public order was necessary, less the students begin to act irrationally out of fear or panic.

Logically it made sense, but it was still bizarre.

Dismissing the feeling, Misaka turned away from the window as she prepared to take her leave. However, in the moment she went to turn away, something caught her attention through the glass window; or rather someone. Someone she had not seen in almost a week and an individual she was not happy to see again.

"...it's that hag again."

This supposed 'hag' being referred to here was, of course, Mugino Shizuri.

Despite it being only in passing, that was enough to make Misaka display visible displeasure. Given how unpleasant their last meeting was, it was reasonable to say that some lingering animosity remained. Hence why, upon vacating the store, her eyes remained fixed on the other girl's back. Pedestrian traffic was light at the moment so it would only take a fleeting glance back for the older woman to spot her. Yet it seemed that the fellow Level 5 had not seen her in the store. In fact she appeared to be in quite a hurry given her brisk pace.

Typically speaking, this would be the point where Misaka Mikoto would have simply carried on with her day. Normally, she would have shrugged this off without issue. However, two things prevented her from considering acting in the typical or normal fashion. First was the absence of the mutual acquaintance to whom the older woman was apparently dating. The second was something a bit more obscure than the first. given the source it came from. That blonde haired girl, Frenda if she recalled correctly, had little credibility to her, but she had been apparently shadowing the couple on a number of their dates.

That served as the only reason she did not immediately disregard what was said.

Based on what she was told, Mugino had been meeting the boy in secret for almost five months now. The fact that the blonde only recently came to find out about her relationship was a demonstration to how careful she was about it. Now Misaka was not one to condone stalking but that sort of knowledge painted a rather strange picture in her head. A picture that did not match the characteristics the Meltdowner had displayed when they first met. This made her question why she was so adamant about hiding it from her friend. Fortunately enough she was not forced to put too much thought into it as the answer quickly dawned on her at the time.

Any girl would be embarrassed about showing off _that idiot_ to their friends.

Which, on a semi-related note, was a pretty mean thought Misaka-san.

Admittedly, Misaka found this knowledge beneficial for this particular occasion. Given that the older girl was alone at the moment, it meant one of two things. Either she was on the way to meet up with the blonde and the rest of her friends. Or, alternatively, this was another case of the older girl 'sneaking off' to go visit her partner. Given her pace and the lack of peripheral awareness, Misaka strongly believed that it was the latter. There was no hard evidence to prove it, but the Electromaster was willing to take a gamble here. If such was to be the case, then this implied that she was heading towards the moron's residence.

In spite of her fatigue and general dislike of the young woman, Misaka's sour expression began to change. Before long, the girl's once unpleasant demeanor was replaced by a contemplative one instead. During which, Misaka's legs began to move automatically, following after the older woman from a reasonable distance away.

Kamijou had pissed her off not long ago and that was on top of the rematch he still owed her. The problem with challenging the spiky haired idiot was she only ever encountered him by chance. More often than not, during those random meetings, he would find some way to avoid fighting her. That problem could be alleviated if she knew where his place of residence was located. It was hard to escape from someone who knew where you slept. Of course she could have hacked into Judgment's records and find out that information if she wanted to. Doing that, however, was bound to catch up to her at some point; Level 5 or not.

Because breaking into a restricted database used by law enforcement was apparently frowned upon. Doubly so if the matter is only for personal interests and has no relation to any current cases being looked into.

There also stood the fact that Kuroko would not let her hear the end of it if she were to find out.

Letting Mugino Shizuri lead the way, on the other hand, was something she would not feel too guilty about. Was this method a better means of acquiring that information? Morally no, stalking was still stalking no matter how much you dolled it up. Legally, however, it was the far better choice than the alternative. Besides, Misaka was not truly stalking her or anything. The two just happened to be heading towards the same destination. Once she found out where the boy lived, she would take her leave; simple as that. To which, if she had said that last bit aloud, most would disagree.

Because it is not _ever_ that simple.

Also that same excuse was used in the last chapter, Misaka-san.

Stalking is still stalking.

"This is the best chance I've got to catching that idiot." With a small devious smile, Misaka affirmed her choice of action by slamming her fist into her open palm. "Alright then, lead the way you damn hag."

Oi, biri-biri, are you trying to stalk or to pick a fight?

* * *

Huh...how... _unexpected_.

"I didn't think he could afford an apartment."

The building that the Meltdowner had led Misaka to was far from what the young girl had expected. In the same vein, it was also something she could see him living in given what she was looking at. The old-style apartment building was of stark contrast to the much taller, modern-looking, buildings that were towering around it on all sides. It also looked quite substandard by comparison to her surroundings as well. That design flaw was what made it all the more believable for this to be the place of residence of that spiky-haired youth. Based on appearances, it stood to reason that the rent would not be as exorbitant as the other apartments she had seen on the way here.

To clarify, that was not meant to be a jab at the boy per se; although it could easily be taken as such.

In saying that, Mikoto's unintentionally harsh criticisms would surely make the property owner cry.

What also added credibility to her target living here was the fact that Mugino could freely come and stay at this place without concern. Such was the benefit an apartment had opposed to a standard dorm a school would provide for its students.

All the same, it made that cow's relationship with the nitwit all the more confusing.

Further musings were put aside as she observed the fellow Level 5 ascending the steps to the second floor. Once she was out of sight Mikoto followed suit; keeping her back flush with the wall once she reached the top. She was somewhat thankful that the platform was metal and thus could hear the girl's shoes clapping against it as she walked. Only after she heard them stop did she dare to peek her head out from behind the corner. Lo and behold, there the girl stood; full front profile facing the last door at the end of the hallway.

Jackpot!

Not only did she find his apartment, but she now knew exactly which one belonged to him. Now she could afford to leave in satisfaction with the knowledge she had acquired.

...so why are you still here, Misaka-san?

A valid question that, for some reason, was not registering in her own brain at the moment. Instead of leaving like intended, she watched on as the older female's hand hammered against the door. Closer inspection of the girl's face showcased her irritation; likely born from impatience. A sentiment that Misaka shared in some respects as there did not seem to be a response the first time around. When she knocked a second time, however, someone did answer. Proven by the obnoxiously loud squeak of the door hinges as it was opened. At which point, all that Mikoto needed to hear was his voice to ring out to confirm her findings.

That was all she needed, then she would leave.

"Ah, Mugino-chan!"

...wait, why did that lethargic teenage boy suddenly sound like a little girl?

"Eh, Shizuri's here!?"

Ah, there he was...

Hang on, why was there a little girl in this twit's dingy-looking apartment!?

Disregarding the scathing commentary for the moment, Misaka could only watch and listen as the screeching door opened further. Lo and behold, there the spiky haired boy stood, partially out in the open and dressed in casual wear. Beyond that, he looked genuinely surprised to see his girlfriend standing here; based on his dumbfounded expression. Though it could have been her imagination, she could swear she saw him briefly eyeing her from top to bottom. Which, to be honest, caused a mild spike of agitation to surface on the Tokiwadai maiden's expression.

She was not the only person annoyed by it either.

"What?"

"N-nothing, I just wasn't expecting you to be here all of a sudden."

Misaka could see how he took to scratching his cheek, complete with that usually dumb sheepish expression of his. Irksome was what it was, so much so that she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from vocalizing her thoughts. As much as she wanted to cry out how he was lying to save face, she knew that this was not the best opportunity to do so. That would defeat the whole purpose of what she was doing here. Which, by the way, was not stalking; let that distinction remain clear. This was only a means to acquire irrefutable proof that this was the boy's place of residence and nothing more.

"Uh-huh, sure, whatever." Of course Mugino was unimpressed by his response; having rested a hand to her hip for added effect. "So, care to tell me what the hell you've gotten yourself into this time jackass?"

"Saying it's...complicated would be putting it lightly." Eluded the boy, although it was probably regarding to the little girl currently in his apartment. "Actually, before I get into that, why are you-"

"Touma, it isn't safe to be out in the open like that!"

Was that a third voice?

Was that third voice coming from yet another girl further inside the apartment!?

The answer was yes, that was a third voice and it was coming from further inside. Whatever it was he had to say died in his throat as his lips closed shut. He had good reason to, based on what little she could see. No one, by any stretch of the imagination, could miss or ignore what was blatantly obvious as he met the gaze of the Meltdowner. Tacking on the initial attempt to dodge her question and you have a girl who's emotions spiked passed the irritation threshold. On the surface it did not quite seem to be delving into the territory of rage. Yet, based on the girl's expression, it was close enough to dip into a heightened state of aggression.

In fact, if she were to squint, Misaka was almost certain she could see a vein protruding from Mugino's brow.

"Who's that?" That simple question could not have been any more terrifying. "Who the fuck is calling out to you _by your given name?_ "

If Mikoto had to venture a guess, backed by the support of her past experiences, she would assume the jackass was sweating bullets by now.

"...Shizuri, before you get mad, please be sure to let me fully explain."

"Oh-ho-ho yes; yes you are going to explain. I'll be _more than happy_ to let you _explain_ every last detail. Juuust before I bash your skull into the fucking pavement!"

"M-Mugino-chan, please don't fight!"

All forms of potential violence came to a grinding halt as the source of the voice came running outside. Just as she sounded, it was a little girl no older than twelve with pink hair, sporting a cute white and pink dress. It was almost adorable seeing her running out in an effort to quell the situation. In a way, she sort of did; as Mugino stopped trying to drag the boy by his hair over towards the side railings. She was likely intending to pump out as much information from him as she could. Instead, both her and the spiky haired boy shifted their gazes downward as she stood at the base of the mature woman's bare legs.

"Sensei messaged you because she felt that you deserved to know too and thought you could help." Mikoto could not see her face at the moment, but if she had to guess then it was most likely her pouting. "Someone tried to hurt Kamijou-chan and his friend once already and sensei is worried that something else might happen. But he won't listen to me and go to Anti-Skill or Judgment for help! He might get into some trouble here and there, Kamijou-chan isn't a bad boy. He wouldn't do something this reckless if he didn't have a good reason for it!"

The last part of that was said in a huff as she stomped her foot down to emphasize her point. It would have been adorable if not for the apparent seriousness of the situation that was currently in play. Her words did instill a stillness into the air as the fellow Level 5 digested the words she was being told. One thing had to be said though was that this little girl clearly had some spunk to stand up and defend someone being pressured by a Level 5. Then again, the naivety of children was something else that needed to be factored in as well.

Maybe a little bit of both was being applied here.

"In my own defense, if I could have called you, I would have." Piped in Kamijou, still hunched over with his face locked into a painful grimace. "My phone was broken as I was trying to get away. I couldn't remember your number off the top of my head either."

"Kamijou-chan is pretty forgetful–"

"Oi!"

"–which is why sensei saved your number on her phone so he could call you."

"Don't make it sound like you expected this to happen!"

Suck it up Kamijou.

Truthful jabs hurt for a reason.

"Tch, he forgot, I'm not even surprised." Grumbled the girl with a sigh as she let go of his hair while simultaneously pushing his empty noggin away from her. "Explains why I haven't heard from you at all lately. Here I was thinking you'd lost your damn phone charger or something."

"Believe me, I wish it was something that simple."

"When is anything that simple with you?"

Understandably, he did not respond and instead shrugged his shoulders. Not the best answer, but it would suffice since Mugino did not immediately follow up on it. Actually the girl looked to be content with that sort of answer which, in itself, was a little strange. Especially since she looked as though she was about to throw him over the rails just a moment ago. Why would she readily accepted this sort of response? Despite having virtually no idea what in the hell was going on here? If it had been her, Mikoto would have continued to press for an explanation and not stopped until she got one right then and there. No excuses, just straight details right there on the spot.

...okay, that was a lie.

She would have relented too if that little girl got involved.

So credit had to go to the hag for yielding there.

"Touma, why is everyone outside? That flame magician is still out there somewhere you know!"

Magician?

What in the world was that third voice shouting about? It also sounded like it was drawing closer; implying that she was approaching the door. This was fine, having a face to associate with the voice made everything much easier. Mikoto was not alone in that thought. Mugino tilted her head passed Kamijou to try and peer inside the apartment. One person, however, reacted much faster than the rest of the group did. That person was not Touma, though his attention was drawn to the source of the voice. It was the little girl who, in a state of panic, rushed back inside without further notice.

"Don't come out here dressed like that! Your fever went down half an hour ago, so don't be hasty and rest."

"But it's not safe for Touma to be outside!"

"Neither is it safe for you!"

Mugino must have given up on trying to get a glimpse of the proceedings through the cracked door. As the voices inside grew increasingly faint, she turned her attention back towards the idiot. Who, in response to her less-than-patient stare, let out a weighted sigh as his shoulders fell. Before he could go about explaining the situation, the door creaked loudly again as the little girl's head popped out from between the gap.

"Why don't you go fetch sensei and the rest of us something to eat Kamijou-chan?" Her suggestion was accompanied by a sheepish smile. "You can explain everything to Mugino-chan along the way. Maybe even come up with a solution to this whole mess."

The poor sap did not even look surprised about being sent on a food run. Upset to a mild degree yes; indicated by the aggressive clawing of his scalp. But he was not surprised, which is why he eventually slumped in place once he finally calmed down.

"Are you fine with keeping an eye on her until then?"

"Sensei will call if anything happens, so don't worry. I have Mugino-chan's number, remember?" Mikoto could not help but think of how heart-meltingly adorable that little girl's smile was. "Be sure to keep Kamijou-chan out of trouble Mugino-chan."

"...I'm standing right here you know..."

"Tch, can't make any promises." For the first time since she arrived, Mugino showed the sightings of a smile as she looked down at the little girl. "But I'll do what I can to keep this dumb ass in line. He still might end up getting bruised though; hope that's fine."

"Mhm, sensei knew Mugino-chan was a good girl."

"Pff, yeah, sure." Mikoto could not help but scoff quietly from her position by the stairs. "About the only thing good about the hag is the act she's putting on for people."

Smell that Mikoto?

That smells like hypocrisy .

" _Literally_ standing right here in front of both of you."

Stop bringing attention to yourself Kamijou!

It's only going to make them-

"We know."

"We know, smartass."

...team up on you.

Well, what is done is done; now give each other five.

Or bump fists.

Do _something._

It _is_ about the only thing missing from this scene.

Tragically no such thing happened. Kamijou took to sulking while the little girl gave them both a friendly wave farewell. The gesture was returned by Mugino, albeit with less enthusiasm, before the door was closed. Her hand fell lifelessly to the side after that and her attention shifted back towards the spiky haired youth beside her. Which was about as much as Mikoto saw before retreated back behind the corner and down the metal steps. Those two would be leaving here shortly and this was the only way up to the second floor. The last thing she wanted was to be caught peeking around the corner like some persistent stalker.

Remember, Mikoto had a healthy curiosity; nothing more.

Yup, totally normal and not unusual in the slightest.

"–times I feel like you and Komoe-sensei get along a little _too_ _well_."

She would recognized that pathetically dismal sounding voice anywhere.

"Quit complaining, we just know you're a Weirdness Magnet."

 _Woman_ , would you _please_ stop it with the Tropes!?

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means shut up, deal with it, and move along." Mikoto could just picture the girl rolling her eyes as she avoided the question. "I'm still waiting for that explanation by the way. And don't you dare try and sum it up by saying 'its complicated' again. I want the full fucking story; not some oversimplified cliff notes."

"Right, right, I know; but it is sorta complicat- ow!"

The sight of the boy rubbing at the back of his head was what the Electromaster came to witness. Along with the visage of an irritated Metldowner beside him as they completed their descent down the steps and moved towards the main road. As for Mikoto herself, she was posted up in a nook between the roof overhang and the stairwell covering. A perk of being a Level 5 Electromaster, she had far more freedom of movement than most thanks to magnetism. It did a good job at putting her in ideal places to observe without being seen; provided she maintained physical contact.

What also helped was that nobody ever seemed to look up.

Not that she was staying in that spot for long once the two had left her sight. Using the same method as before, Mikoto scaled down the wall until her feet were once again back on solid ground. Less than a second after touching down, the girl was back on the move. The gap in distance may not have been great, but she did not want to take any chances. As all it would take to lose them was one intersection and a throng of people. Something she surely did not want to have happen; not when there was something of clear importance going on. One way or another, the Railgun was determined to find out what that something was.

She might not care too much for the idiot or the witch. But if it was true that someone tried to hurt him for no valid reason...

...well, he was _her_ rival!

She would not tolerate him losing to anyone else except her!

* * *

Some measure of good fortune allowed Mikoto to catch up with the two before much of the exposition could be provided. Granted that came with its own set of issues considering they were now in the open. The influx of human chatter and environmental noise them made listening in difficult. At best, Mikoto could only make out bits and pieces of what was being said. Worst case, she could not hear anything since it became apparent that he was trying to keep it discreet. This could have been alleviated by drawing closer, but the jackass and cow alike had come to be more aware of their surroundings. Often sparing a few moments to glance around for reasons unknown to her.

Consequently, getting closer to the two was practically impossible.

Maybe next time she should wear something less conspicuous?

There were a few details she was fortunate enough to pick up on. For instance, a tall man with shoulder-length red hair and a bar-code tattoo on his face. Characteristics that, mostly, would make him easy to catch if she were to go digging for answers in the Judgment databases. Outside of those details, everything else just seemed...jumbled for lack of better term. It was due in large part to only being able to make out half of what the boy was saying from afar. Things like a big fire, a terrace, something about cards, and an index. Out of context, about half of it made sense, but everything else simply sounded odd.

Based on what she could make out, the guy with red hair caused a fire. This led her to believe that the individual in question was an Esper who specialized in Pyrokinesis. It further narrowed down the list of suspects who she would later check into once she had the chance. The terrace was likely his means of escaping the flames, which was perhaps the dumbest idea but also one she could get behind since the fall obviously did not kill him. Beyond that though, what did cards and an index have anything to do with any of this?

Was this some delinquent stealing bank cards?

And what the hell did an index have to do with any of this?

Needless to say, by the time the couple reached the convenient store, Mikoto was quite confused. So confused, in fact, she did not even hesitate to go inside and risk being caught. At the very least she waited a good minute or two before going in. Thankfully the shelves in the isles were high enough to her out of view without forcing her to crouch. From there it was about finding them as well as picking the ideal place to listen in.

"What in the world did you stick your nose into idiot?" On some level, Mikoto was aware she was muttering to herself. With that same level of awareness, she also acknowledged that she did not care. "Honestly, don't you have anything better to do besides getting into other people's business? I'd almost feel bad for that cow putting up with your crap if it wasn't for her damn attitude."

Careful biri-biri, you might blow a circuit.

Also, why are you _trying_ to make yourself mad?

"You think Komoe-sensei will be against me just getting some Yakisoba?"

Voilà, there they were, just two isles away from her. Both their backs were turned as the former was busy looking over the selection of cheap easy-make goods.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet, I don't think she cares what the hell you bring back." There stood the crone behind him, her arms crossed, and her tone laced with boredom. "She only asked you to run this errand so you could explain shit to me without interruptions."

"Is that right? Well, in that case, yakisoba it is then."

Good lord he is thick!

The hag, apparently, had a similar thought as well. It may have explained why she abruptly kicked him in the posterior shortly thereafter. The kick must not have had much strength behind it because he hardly reacted to the action. Sadly it was not enough to pry the boy's attention away the shelves. Choosing instead to sift through the consumable items available; much to the disappointment of the fellow Level 5. This prompted her to suck her teeth loudly before leisurely venturing away from him to do some browsing for herself. Thankfully she did not wander off too far from the idiot; remaining within his and Mikoto's collective line of sight.

Seconds ticked by and the two continued to act on their own accord.

And yet...something was off.

Despite how calm things seemed it felt... _static_.

Like something was wrong but neither party was addressing the elephant in the room. Something was going on that neither were willing to talk about. Either because they did not know or they did not want to breach the subject and openly discuss it. Obviously it involved this whole ordeal that was currently in play. The very same ordeal that Mikoto had a very limited understanding of. Clues were everywhere; the silence, the distance, the lack of focus and casual dismissal of one another. It was plain to see, even for a careless observer, that a rift had formed between these two.

To what extent, sadly, the Electromaster did not know for certain.

Then again, Mikoto may have been be dead wrong about all of this. She _was_ ignorant in regards to how their relationship functioned under normal circumstances. Her only encounter with the two together, prior to today, had been about a week ago. So she had no idea what was to be considered 'typical behavior' for these two. For all she knew this was their normal behavior; even though it may not appear that way from her perspective. What made her doubt this, however, was that she was relying purely on hazy cues spoken through body language. Perhaps if she could see their facial expressions she could come to a more definitive conclusion.

Suffice to say that she was not likely to achieve that without being caught.

"Huh, salmon bento...your paying for this, right?"

Just like that, the boy's interest drastically shifted as his head shot towards her.

"Huh!?"

Mikoto's thoughts exactly.

"...eh?"

Okay, not exactly, but it was close enough.

But why was _that_ the thing that caught his attention!?

"Komoe-sensei said to get food for all of us. By extension that includes me too. So buy this for me."

That was not a request!

"But I've got enough yakisoba here for all of us!"

Yeah, what is wrong with yakisoba?

"I hate cheap yakisoba, Kamijou."

What is wrong with _cheap_ yakisoba!?

"Please spare this Kamijou some slack! I'm just a struggling student here Shizuri! And that bento by itself costs as much as everything I've got here!"

Five hundred and eighty yen for convenient store bento? Yeah, that sounds about right for someone as stingy with their money as Kamijou was.

"Hear that? That's the sound of it being your problem; not mine."

Watching this exchange as it took place was downright painful for the Misaka. Indicated by the deadpan expression on her face as she observed from afar.

It was amazing how many emotions the boy could display in such a short amount of time. Even more amazing was that he was able to convey them so clearly that Mikoto did not even need to see his face to decipher them all. First was disbelief, the second was denial followed by frustration before finally settling on acceptance. Pathetic acceptance at that as his body deflated like an untied balloon. As for the crone, her reaction to this submission was far harder for Mikoto to get a read on. Where Mikoto was expecting to find satisfaction or contentment she found neither. An air of monotony was what surrounded her and his acceptance of her demand did not change it.

Of course that last bit was only a guess.

Gauging someone's state of mind using only body language was not easy.

"This isn't how I was expecting to spend summer vacation Kamijou."

Um...that came out of left field.

This will not end well.

Apparently she was not the only person thinking that. It came and passed like a flicker of light but Mikoto still noticed it. She saw the boy's shoulders tense and that was all she needed to see. He did not look at her and all the same she did not look at him. Their individual postures exuded neutrality making anyone not attentive enough to mistake them as being composed. Mikoto herself would not have thought much of this had she not seen the nitwit's reaction. Such awareness was what kept her from being ignorant to the immanent tempest that was encroaching upon them. Much to the misfortune of the boy who did not appear to have packed an umbrella.

"Shizuri..." Like an individual resigned to their fate, the dingus had no other choice but to step into the rain. "Listen, I'm sorry this happened; really, I am-"

"But..."

Cue number two that this was not going to end well.

The underlining irritation in her tone served to make it more obvious.

"...but..." Hearing the thunder, however, must have made him lose his nerve because he was now hesitant to continue. Ultimately, all he could do was release a heavy sigh. "Look, this isn't the best place to have this conversation. Let's wrap things up here first, then-"

"Then what? Put it off until later where it's nice and private?"

"Yes, actually, and I'd appreciate it if you would _stop interrupting me_!"

This was a first.

Since that evening they met, Mikoto had not heard the idiot sound legitimately angry. Annoyance sure, she had heard him express that particular emotion plenty of times. Maybe frustration from time to time, but never anger and never at Mikoto specifically. So it was a little surprising to hear him speak with tinges of suppressed anger mixed into his words. The fact that the hag's head finally shifted towards him proved that it was not her imagination. Kamijou was not happy, not even a little bit, and was not taking kindly to the girl scoffing at him.

"I get it, you're upset, okay? But if you think you're the only one who's frustrated here then I have news for you; you're not." Apparently he was not done either, although it seemed that he had regained some of his composure. He sounded much calmer than he did a second ago, but he still came off as annoyed. "I'm not too thrilled about all this either, believe me I'm not. If _anyone_ has _any_ reason to be mad or upset about all of this it's me. Remember that the next time you wanna get snappy, alright? Now hand me your overpriced bento and let me pay for this stuff so we can head back to sensei's apartment."

Perhaps not a wise move on his part, putting off the conversation like this. However, much like Mugino, Kamijou had an underlying emotion in his tone. Excluding the anger expressed there was something else there as well. Exhaustion, weariness, fatigue; any of those words would suffice as far as descriptions go. Usually this sort of tone would annoy her since it made him sound like some weary old man. Unlike those times, however, Mikoto truly believed that he was worn out. As if he had been drained of every speck of energy he had and was now running solely on fumes.

That may have explained why he snapped just now.

Physically he may appear fine and normal, but maybe that was not the case with him mentally.

Not once during his tirade did he turn his attention towards the girl. Mugino, however, was likely gaping openly at him since her head did not move an inch. At this moment the two were locked in a state of pause; the crone too flabbergasted to respond with any sort of retort. This caused the silence between them to make its return. Only this time it was accompanied with a tension that was previously absent the first time around. Said silence lasted for the better part of a few minutes until it was eventually broken.

Only to be broken by Mugino huffing loudly whilst snatching the bento from the shelf.

"...fine."

Such was the clipped and straightforward response that served as testament to the crone's own ire. Such a simple response and yet it carried with it an edge sharp enough to cut steel effortlessly. Oh yes, she was angry, perhaps more so than she previously was. Mikoto had to assume that, to some extent, the girl knew that this was not the proper time or place. Not for...whatever _this_ was. An argument? A robust discussion? Regardless of what it was, it had indefinitely been postponed until a later point in time.

Having said that, the Meltdowner did not linger about afterwards. Choosing to move instead towards the front counter with her promised meal in hand. Moreover she did not even spare the boy a fleeting glance as she left. As for the idiot, despite having collected his items, he remained unmoving for a few moments. Not too terribly long but long enough to determine what was obvious to her. He was not looking forward to whatever was to come. Forestalling it was pointless, she knew that and by default so did he. Did he regret lashing out like that out of nowhere? Most likely, but there was no taking it back now. One way or another, he would have to face the music eventually.

Letting out yet another sigh Kamijou finally started trudging along to meet his girlfriend at the register.

"Such misfortune."

Fancy that.

For once that saying did not piss Mikoto off.

* * *

The trip back to the apartment complex was a silent affair.

Given what had taken place, it should not have come as a surprise. They were walking side-by-side yet the gap between was large enough for a person to slip right through them. Neither of the two spared each other so much as a glance; at least it did not look that way. With such a sour atmosphere staining around the two, even a casual observer would be able to tell that something was wrong. From an outside perspective it was as if they were trying to ignore the presence of the other person beside them. A behavioral pattern that has been in effect since they had left the store.

Well, truthfully that was all based on how Mikoto had come to perceive it.

Whether or not it any of it was true or not remained to be seen.

Fact remains, however, that the two were not talking. They were not looking at the other. There was no conversation or any other form of communication expressed between them. Simply silence; pure, tense and bitter-laced silence. The only noise made by the two were the soles of their shoes on the pavement and the rustling of the shopping bag. That was all and it was a very hollow and jarring experience to behold. Even someone as ignorant as Mikoto knew that this scene felt out of place.

As the distance to their destination lessened, Mikoto spared the sky a glance; realizing then that dusk was steadily approaching. The telltale hues of orange and purple gradually growing more pronounced in the sky above. Street lamps were beginning to light up. People were starting to head home while businesses beginning to shut down. Not that those details were relevant to the couple she was tailing. They had more important matters which needed to be addressed. So it stood to reason that they did not care much for the splendor of nature.

Difficult as that was for any student in a place so technologically advanced as Academy City.

That included her.

No surprise there.

"Alright Kamijou, this is far enough."

What did turn out to be a surprise was the abrupt outburst. The hag's movements came to a immediate halt just as they were on the final stretch of road leading to the apartment. They had rounded the corner not long ago but were still close enough to the corner. Thankfully the main road they had branched off of was empty save for a few stragglers on their way home. Otherwise someone would have found it strange to see a Tokiwadai student with her back flush with the wall. Sadly she could not risk taking a peek; not this time. They were far too close for her to safely do such a thing. Furthermore, given how narrow the path was, it would not be hard for anyone to see her.

"...does it really have to be here?" Idiot did not bother to feign ignorance at this critical moment. Hence the exhausted and dismayed manner of voice he used just now. "Can't this wait until later? We're practically there and I don't feel like arguing outside in plain view."

Undoubtedly he would have liked to have had that luxury right now.

Alas words like 'luxury' did not ever mix well when used in the same context as 'Kamijou'.

"Guess how little I care about what you feel like fuckin' doing." Feisty...wait, this was a bad time to be joking; this is getting real. "After everything you've told me, you think I'm gonna just accept all of it like some yes-man? Am I supposed to just smile, nod, and agree all petite and polite-like? Do I need to remind you that I'm not like those ignorant little whores in the School Garden?"

"Ignorant little whores, huh?" Repeated the girl quietly, the vein in her forehead throbbing as sparks danced along the fringes of her hair. "Oh-ho-ho you _must_ be going senile if you think I'll let that comment slide, damned hag."

Temper, _temper!_

Please refrain from going full biri-biri again!

"I wouldn't call them that, but I get the point." Hard to tell if he was defending them or not. For the sake of her temperament, Mikoto chose to assume that he was and let it go for now. "Let's get one thing straight. I shouldn't have snapped like that at the store. I know that, and I also knew you would get upset about everything I told you. I mean, come on, I know you Shizuri. I'm not the smartest person around but even I know what does and doesn't get on your nerves."

"Then why in the actual fuck didn't you call me as soon as you found the brat?"

"It was early. I didn't think you were awake; plain and simple." Mikoto could picture him now shrugging his shoulders as he swiftly answered that question. "Even if I had, all I did was give her something to eat before she up and left. I didn't think it would escalate to this extent. I don't think you would have thought so either if I had told you about it. So...what would you have done differently that I hadn't already done at that time?"

Well...he was not wrong.

Granted Mikoto had no actual clue as to what he was talking about. From the sounds of it, however, he did strike up a valid point. It would be unreasonable for him to have expected something bad to happen from a chance encounter.

"...tch, well shit. I can't argue with you there."

"See?"

Yeah, see?

Mugino herself had to concede to that; albeit it sounded like she was doing so begrudgingly.

"Nevertheless, you could have at least texted me afterwards. Anything that was informative would have been good enough for me. Hell, I would've taken something like 'weird shit just happened' rather than getting nothing at all. For fuck's sake Kamijou today is the first time I've seen you in four days. Four-fucking-days; that's ninety-six hours without any form of contact _at all!_ You expect me to just accept that shitty excuse without being a little pissed off?"

"N-no, I don't actually, that's completely understandable." And it was, so surprise, surprise, it was the crone's turn to have a point. "As far as that part goes, I'll go ahead apologize for that. All-the-same, you apparently didn't think much of it yourself either. You said so yourself. You thought it was something like a lost phone charger or something, didn't you?"

"Oh for the-is that supposed to be funny?! You think I'd honestly believe it was something that obviously fraudulent?!"

"Whether or not you actually did or not isn't the point. My point is that you didn't go to extreme lengths to contact _me_ either Mugino. I'll admit, I rely on the contact list on my phone and yes, I forgot your number. But until today, I didn't know that sensei had your number from the start. Doesn't that mean you have hers too? If that's the case, why didn't you call her to see if something was wrong? It's not like I have any other way to get in touch with you beyond texts and phone calls. We've been dating for four months and you _still_ won't let me go and see where you live."

"Don't fucking twist this around to make yourself look like the victim here!"

"I'm not! I'm pointing out the fact that we both fucked up Mugino!"

O-kay, Mikoto was now officially uncomfortable being here.

Hearing the idiot use such coarse language did not help matters either.

"Why in the hell would I assume that loli teacher of yours knows where the hell you are? Is she supposed to be your keeper or something?"

She might as well be.

"That little girl is his teacher!?"

Now is _not_ the best time to be surprised by that knowledge Misaka-san!

"She'd have a better handle on where I was than anyone else would have! If you tried you would have known that days ago, wouldn't you!?"

"You don't get to be a patronizing smartass Kamijou!"

"And why the hell not!? Is it because I pointed out what you neglected to do as well? Or is it because I'm actually right and you just don't want to admit it!?"

"You want me to admit that I was wrong? Fine, I didn't do enough either; happy!?" Too easy...that admission of guilt came out way too easily. Meaning that this was to be a catalyst to a much deeper reason. "But that isn't the fucking issue here, ass clown! The issue, Kamijou Touma, is that shitty hero disposition you've got in that damn spiky head of yours. Instead of telling me, you kept it to your-fucking-self _**like you always do!**_ "

There it was; the root of the problem that was festering inside the girl since the start. Her words, booming in volume, echoed down the vacant path and beyond it. Had anyone else been around, they likely would have been startled by it. Mikoto surely was, although it was fortunate for her to have been the only person around to hear it. Otherwise everyone would have caught wind of what was happening around the corner. Such was the only solace to be had here. The Railgun's unease at eavesdropping on the two had not diminished in the slightest degree. Fact of the matter was that it was growing worse the more she listened to them argue.

Said argument was not what she had intended to listen to.

Which made the question of 'why was she still here' much more prominent.

"Oi, take your little spat somewhere else!"

Whoever was shouting at them was a brave soul. At least they were up until the backstreet became illuminated by a bright flash of green light. As much as she wanted to see what had happened, Mikoto refrained from risking a look. Whatever happened was followed by the sound of something slamming shut shortly thereafter.

"Mugino-!"

"No, you shut the fuck up and listen to me!" Nope, that was no request. "Did it ever cross your mind that maybe, when weird shit happens, you should tell someone about it? This wasn't some street punk or crook trying to steal some yen from your empty wallet. This person came to _your fucking home_ and _attacked_ _you!_ Over, what, some damn brat who fell out of the fucking sky? A brat that you knew next to nothing about. The same brat who you could have told me about _the very second she left._ My god Kamijou have some sense! Just the fact that she showed up on your balcony of all places should have been clue enough that the bitch was not normal!"

"Okay, yeah, that should have been the first clue idiot."

Why are you suddenly siding with your enemy!?

"But no, instead you kept it to yourself and look where it got you." Within her mind's eye, the #3 could picture the crone gesturing to the area around them. Suffice to say it was not too terribly inaccurate. "Tell me something. Did it ever occur to you that you've put someone else in a shitty situation? Has the thought crossed your mind that someone completely unrelated to the incident is now wrapped up in _your_ mess? Someone who is incapable of properly defending themselves? What would have happened if that flaming fuck-muscle decided to show up again and you weren't there?"

Vulgarity aside, Mugino once more brought a solid topic to the table. A topic which, apparently, the boy had not thought about. The girl had even given pause to her tirade as a courtesy for him to speak up. The fact that he did not do so in that span of time served to demonstrate his lack of foresight.

"This is why I can't stand you and your white knight bullshit. Because you don't ever think things through. You don't think about the consequences! All you do is go through the motions and expect shit not to go sideways on you. Ever think about what would happen if it did?"

"Of course I have; I thought about it every-single-day!" The strain and stress that had accumulated over the past couple days was evident in his voice. It made admitting to having those thoughts entirely genuine. "What would happen if that guy came back? Would I be able to stop him again as well as keep those two safe? What about the other tenants here? Was it a mistake to come to sensei for help? You make it sound like I hadn't thought of any of those things; when the truth is that I have. It's been constantly on my mind since the moment I brought her here."

As he rambled, the tone of his voice grew increasingly somber. He did not try to disprove the points that the witch had presented. Contrarily, he was adding further to it by acknowledging the flaws in his own decisions. Rarely did someone openly admit to their faults. Most would rather pin the blame on someone or something else rather than be held accountable. Touma was not one of those people; of that Mikoto came to understand. He understood he had made the wrong choices. Understood that people were in danger because of the choices he had made. Nobody else was to be held accountable for his actions except him and he knew that.

Kamijou's willingness to own up to those mistakes served to demonstrate his integrity.

Which may explain why Mugino did not take this moment to drill into him further.

"She was hurt, I had no phone, and was running on adrenaline. I wasn't thinking rationally, given all that had happened at the time. So I rolled with the first idea that came to mind; that's the truth. After everything was said and done, that's when it hit me. That's when it occurred to me that I had screwed up in a big way. By that point it was too late; I was already stuck between a rock and a hard place. We leave he finds us faster or we stay and he finds us eventually. Neither option is a good one but I wasn't given much choice on the matter. It also doesn't help that she hasn't been in the best of health lately."

"Throw as many excuses as you want. As far as facts go, you still got other people involved in this shit storm." Guess someone forgot to tell the hag to be empathetic. On the plus side, at least she was not yelling. That had to count for something. "A sob-story isn't going to make a damn bit of difference in the end. Good on you to own up on your failures but that also doesn't change anything. You're fucked and now here we are; cleaning up your mess."

"It's not _my_ mess. It's _our_ mess."

"Oh, well excuse me. I didn't realize I was part of-"

"I wasn't talking about you." Idiot, why are you interrupting her so firmly all of a sudden? "You weren't involved in this at the start. I told you everything because you deserved to know what was going on. I never said anything about wanting you to get involved."

Ah, this marked the third time today that the awkward silence made its appearance.

"He can't be serious." Muttered the #3 to herself, her mouth agape in utter disbelief. "Did that idiot really just say that?"

Yes, yes he did.

"I'm sorry..., what?" Clearly Mugino was astonished by this as well. So much so that a few incredulous chuckles managed to slip out. "You _don't_ want me to be involved? Is that supposed to be some shitty joke, Kamijou?"

"Does it sound like I'm joking?" No, no it does not; but that only makes it sound so much worse. "I already dragged Komoe-sensei into this whole mess. That's one more person sitting on my conscious than I'd like to have. I don't want to have to worry about anyone else."

"Oi, dipshit. You know who you're talking to right?"

"Yup, I know exactly who I'm talking to, Mugino. Which is exactly the reason why I don't want you or anyone else getting mixed up in all this. If it wasn't your problem originally then it shouldn't become your problem now."

"What kinda bullshit reasoning is that!?" Shouted the girl in pure outrage following the dismissal of disbelief. "Did you crack that empty skull of yours on something and go retarded on me?! Has your dumb-ass forgotten that I'm one of the seven Level 5's in this city?! My Meltdowner is the most destructive ability that you can come across! I'm literally standing _right-fucking-here_ in front of you! And you're telling me to stay the hell out of it?! Are you delusional or just god damn stupid!?"

"Yup, saw that coming."

Of course you did Misaka-san.

Because you would have most definitely reacted in the same exact way.

...give or take a few blown electrical circuits...

"Level 5 or not, I don't want to have anyone else I care about getting dragged into this."

"And I say that's utter bullshit!"

"Why is it bullshit!? What's wrong with trying to limit the amount of people who could get hurt!? I'm responsible for my own actions and so it's my responsibility to make it right! Being accountable isn't having someone else come by and picking up after you. It's cleaning up the mistakes you yourself make. If I can't even do that then I might as well do nothing when things don't pan out the way I want them to!"

"You say that, but who's the one always sticking his nose into other people's business!? Who's the one always going out of his way to play hero all the damn time? Even when it's shit that doesn't concern you, you always go and pick up after everyone else! So don't feed me that crap and don't you dare say that it's any different from this. Admit it, you're a _fucking_ hypocrite and you _fucking_ know it!"

The more she listened to this argument, the more Mikoto grew to understand. Not just from one end of the spectrum but rather from both sides.

Idiotic as it was, Touma was holding himself accountable; just as he said. Minimizing the number of people who were drawn into whatever mess this was. She understood his reasoning in that respect and, to some degree, she agreed with him. Pride was not the driving motivation behind that choice either. Based on what she came to understand, this was just a matter of principles. _His_ principles, a characteristic that was as stupid as it was admirable. He would much rather take care of a matter himself than loaf others into it. Easier as the latter would make it, it would only promote a reliance on others.

Which, ultimately, diminishes any form of growth in a person. People need to have an opportunity to learn from their past mistakes. Take that away and they will end up constantly placing their burdens onto others.

On the other hand, however, the Railgun had to concede to what the hag was saying as well.

Annoying as it was to admit, Mugino was also correct. Given how serious the situation apparently was, her status as a Level 5 was invaluable. Only the presence of another Level 5 would give the girl much trouble. While it remains to be seen what she could do, the witch was well above empty boasts. She could have been of great assistance to him and they both knew it. Yet she was being told not to enter this endeavor. Coming from someone who readily intrudes on others' problems, being denied in this way was flat out insulting. Furthermore, given their relationship status, this rejection may have perhaps added injury to insult.

Henceforth, with a generous amount of contempt, she agreed with the crone. He was being a colossal hypocrite by rejecting her help. Good as his reasons were, they were not good enough to dismiss that grave defect.

All in all, it was tough to deduce who was truly in the wrong or right. Both parties had a compelling points in their respected arguments.

What was not difficult to figure out was that this exchange of words was nearing its end. Neither had spoken up for a few moments now. Unlike the last pause, nobody braved a peek outdoors to yell at them. Nevertheless, the light above was growing increasingly dim as the sun descended beyond the horizon. Night was approaching by the second and yet not a single care appeared to be given.

Despite herself, Mikoto's mind pictured this moment looking like those classical western movies. Sun setting, two individuals locked in a fierce face-off. Their words were their weapons, the environment lifeless and still; trapped in a single moment. All it would take was a single sound to break the silence and the two would draw. Within that instant something irreplaceable would form then or be broken. Throughout this, only one spectator would serve as the witness to this moment. A witness that was not even brave enough to take a peek. Yet it all came to her so vividly that she almost thought it was playing out the way she was envisioning it.

All that was missing was a modern tumbleweed to make the scenario truly authentic.

Finally, after a long period of silence, someone spoke.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I am a hypocrite." Offered the boy, his throat hoarse yet still coherent enough to be heard with relative clarity. "But I stand by what I told you before; I don't want you getting into this. It's my mess, my responsibility, and I need to clean it up."

Unlike the times before this, Mugino did not immediately vocalize her ire. Perhaps it was the level of commitment in his voice that dissuaded her. Maybe it was how resolute he was in handling the matter on his own. Hell, it could have simply been the absurdity of it all that cast the spell of silence upon her. Whatever the cause may be, it served its purpose in delaying her response for a time.

"...you know what, fuck it!" Until she abruptly snapped and the sound of her shoes clapping against asphalt reached Mikoto's ears. Worst yet, they were drawing closer towards to where the #3 was. "It's been a waste of my time arguing with you and I'm done. Fuck it, I don't care anymore. Do what you want you stubborn, hypocritical, jackass."

Hag didn't spare a second glance as she rounded the corner of the backstreet. Her pace was calm, but brisk and her expression remained unreadable. Reason for that may have been because Mikoto was at a much higher elevation. Which, again, was all thanks to magnetism. Well, she was not sticking to the side of the complex's exterior wall this time. Instead she was a couple stories up and hidden behind the waist-high walls of an outdoor patio. Hidden was also a term used loosely considering her head was still poking out from behind cover.

Once the crone was a reasonable distance away, she exposed herself more. Her vision shifting between the gradually retreating back of the Meltdowner and the area she had vacated below. Unsurprisingly enough, there stood the moron watching the #4 as she left.

"Geez, isn't that what you wanted?" Uttered the girl mostly to herself as her expression contorted into mild annoyance. "You told her to back off and she did what you asked. You don't get to regret the choice you yourself made just a few minutes ago. Make up your mind and stop being indecisive, idiot."

To be fair, this result might not have been the way he wanted things to play out.

Friends fight, siblings fight, spouses and couples too. Disagreements were bound to happen and when they did it hardly ended on a positive note. Mikoto had not been in a romantic relationship with a boy before. Consequently there was no way for her to truly understand how hard these fights were to those involved. Bitter was probably the first and best description of what the aftermath of it was like. Whether you came out on top or not mattered next to nothing. Somebody in the exchange would end up leaving hurt or bothered by what was said. That was common logic and this scenario was clearly no different.

Mikoto was not remotely involved in any of this. Yet, inexplicably, she herself felt a bit disheartened by what she heard.

"After all of that, I still don't know what is even going on with him." Groaned the girl, sighing as her head slumped down to rest on her now folded arms. "...I shouldn't have listened to that."

Hmm, that realization came a bit late there biri-biri.

Her moment of reflection came to a swift end at the sound of light tapping. Tapping that came from behind her against the glass on the sliding door. When the young Tokiwadai maiden turned around, she saw a middle aged woman, garbed in a plain dress and apron, staring at her with a huffy expression. Only after she saw this did Misaka Mikoto remember where she was. From there, after providing a few apologetic bows, she excused herself.

Had she been more attentive Mikoto probably would have noticed.

Noticed that _someone else_ was standing at the top of the adjacent building.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

We are now in the Index Arc of canon. Suffice to say, shit has gotten real and now science and magic are clashing. But enough of that, it's time to be brutally honest. I hated writing this chapter, truly I did. It had nothing to do with the fact that Mikoto was involved in it. Let's make this part clear; it's not Mikoto that I hate, it's the KamiKoto pairing that I can't stand. That said, this chapter was genuinely vexing to me for some reason. The only saving grace that I had was that a portion of it had already been written.

Had that not been the case, then you'd best believe I would've scrapped this whole idea in favor of something else.

Nevertheless, I do acknowledge the fact that this chapter was necessary. Hate it as I do, it's still important for many reasons; some more obvious than others. As I have shown previously, Touma and Mugino don't always come to an agreement and do have verbal spats. Unlike last time, this outcome ended on a less than positive note. Which I trust most of you will understand why that is important here. Is it predictable? Yes, yes it is, to us as the audience. To them, not so much; which, regrettably, is just the way life is sometimes.

Now let that sink in for a moment...kay, moment's over. Time to carry on with the next chapter. Damn this arc for making my rom-com all serious 'n shit. Don't expect this 'arc' to be long nor future arcs. to be as serious. Given how this is the beginning of canon, I felt it appropriate to give it some semblance of seriousness to it. It won't last and I'll do my best to pepper in some humor here and there.

Shout-outs to _**FrodoFighter**_ and _**Darkbetrayer**_ for beta-ing and confirming whether or not there is any dignity left in me. Jokes on them, I don't. Jokes on you if you believed I had any to begin with. Okay, wow, that got way too real, this chapter really has gotten to me; please send help.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	10. Tribulations

Greetings to all!

Soo...I goofed big-time last chapter...

...let's fix that!

* * *

 **GTK — Great Teacher Komoe**

* * *

There is a saying somewhere that if you do what you love you will never work a day in your life.

Tsukuyomi Komoe would argue against that quote to some degree.

Do not misunderstand, holding a job was important for any adult. Especially so when one factors in her environment as well as her vices. Having a guaranteed job, decent benefits, and pension plan were all important. However, make no mistake, Komoe did enjoy her work as an educator. She cared for her students and did not enter this profession with halfhearted intentions. She enjoyed her job as well as the students and faculty members in the school. Both groups respected and liked her to varying degrees; although some tended to tease her more often than she liked. All in all, this was the career she chose and had loved since the day she met her first batch of students.

Tragically, in spite of the love she had for her work, it was still work.

Not to mention that there were some students who tended to give her trouble. Not in the sense of being rough around the edges and pointlessly aggressive sort. Heavens no, that sort of behavior typically crumbled thanks to her charming disposition. If anything most of her students got violent _because_ they liked her a bit too much. She liked to refer to it as 'being passionate' about their teacher's wellbeing. They would be properly punished for it, of course. But seeing her students acting in her defense, though unnecessary, always did warm her heart.

No, the issue with some concerned their studies.

Yes, like any professional educator, she was concerned about their grades.

Normally Komoe would simply have them perform remedial classes for more contained instructions. This aided her in identifying where a student was struggling and thus help them to understand the subject. Sometimes it would be settled with one class, other times several. It cut into her free time but she never complained about it. That, again, proved that she did not enter this profession with lackadaisical intentions. She wanted her students to succeed, as should any teacher in this respectable line of work. If that meant that Komoe had to sacrifice her own spare time to do so, then she would without question.

Then there was the case with Kamijou Touma. A case that, ordinarily, was addressed in the typical fashion detailed above.

But not in this case; not under these parameters.

In fact there was nothing 'ordinary' about any of this.

The thing that differentiated this instance from most others was plain to see. Granted one would need to be there, at her residence, to actually 'see' it. But all it would take is a glance and anyone would understand why it warranted concern. Beneath the comforter of the futon in this small living space lay the very same spiky haired boy. Just a glance at his person would tell the story of why he was there. Bandages were wrapped around the few exposed parts of his body. One of which being his right arm and hand, which had the most noticeable amount of coverings around them. One would be inclined to suspect that there were more bandages hidden beneath covers too.

Those same people would be correct.

Bear in mind that this was the sight that Tsukuyomi Komoe had to take in every time she came home. Seeing him there, expressionless, unmoving, and quiet, was not an ideal sight for her. Compared to the boy she knew, this was borderline heartbreaking.

Although, not nearly as crushing as seeing him in the state he was in before this.

Seeing here there laying in the road as a limp, bloody, and broken carcass was a downright terrifying sight. Nobody should ever be forced to come upon such a thing. No person should ever be forced into a predicament such as this from the start. Even so, Komoe still rolled up her sleeves and somehow managed to carry him back to her home. From there, she and Index did their best to dress his injuries and treat what they could. Unlike with a certain nun, cleaning him up was less complex.

Dire as both situations were, Touma's case was not of grave importance.

Not as grave in the sense that his wounds were not fatal in nature. In fact, most of his wounds consisted of gashes and bruises. The most serious injury sustained was the damage done to his right hand and arm. Possible dislocation at the wrist to perhaps a fractured Radius or Ulna. Fingers too, some of those could have possibly been broken as well. Unfortunately Komoe was no doctor and thus was uncertain on how close her assessment was to being correct. What she was certain of was that whoever had done this to him had not caused any life threatening injuries.

An amazing feat considering how torn up the area was where she found him.

However, as much as she wanted to take him to the hospital, the persistent objections from a certain nun were hard to ignore. Suddenly those claims of it being unsafe and an ill-advised action became far more prominent and credible. Considering how battered Kamijou had been it was safe to say that leaving was not a good idea.

That and the young nun named Index was not the only person who was openly against it.

Which brings us to the current state of affairs. In spite of all that had happened, Komoe was still acting as a host. As a host, she had an obligation to feed her guests; regardless of if they were hungry or not. Index in particular had kept her appetite, eating whatever was pushed her way without (too much) complaint. Food portions were fair and as long as something was being digested then the girl was fine with anything. Komoe was no cook but she had the power of adult privilege. So a simple trip to a fast-food chain with cheap menu items could get her through the day.

Not healthy by any stretch of the word, but it fed her and that was good enough.

Wrong as it sounded, the girl's solemn mood kept her from having a large appetite. Such was the veiled silver lining Komoe supposed. As things currently stood, Index was fast asleep a short ways away from the unconscious boy. Although a spare futon was offered to her, she had declined it. She had been determined to stay by Kamijou's side since she had shuffled him back here. And until he woke up, that was where she was going to stay; right there beside him. A heartwarming gesture that this Tsukuyomi could not bring herself to argue against.

Admittedly, she was not particularly fond of this idea. All the same, she would not force the nun to do anything she did not want to. It was bad enough that, for some reason, Index kept insisting that this was all her fault. Grief had a way of making those suffering from it think irrationally. Despite all of her efforts to prove otherwise, Komoe was met with the same resistance. Carelessness was the cause behind Kamijou's current state and nothing was going to change her viewpoint. No amount of encouragement or reassurance was going to bypass that belief.

Index was not the only person suffering from grief.

And it was not Tsukuyomi Komoe who was overcome by guilt either.

To clarify, Komoe was not in grieving for two particular reasons. One was because she knew that there was little she could have done to prevent this outcome from happening. She knew that, and therefore knew that it was best for her to do what she could for him now. A perk from being an adult and accepting the things which she could not change. The second reason was due to the fact that she had taken to enjoying more than a few cans of beer since. Not enough to get sloshed, but enough to dampen the impact of the whole situation.

So no, it was not her who was mournful...not yet anyway. Give or take a few more beers and that might change. She vaguely recalled when she had gone on a full drunken tangent about how reckless Kamijou was. Complete with tears and her pathetically small fists drumming against his chest.

Komoe had since pointedly ignored that first evening.

But again, it was not her who was the other mournful mess. That honor belonged to another to whom Komoe was staying up later than normal to wait up on. Someone who, at that moment, she could hear inserting a key and unlocking the deadbolt. Moments later, the familiar obnoxious squeaking of front door being opened filled the otherwise quiet apartment.

On an unrelated note she really needed to buy some WD-40 the next chance she got.

"Welcome back Mugino-chan~!"

The vibrant greeting that Komoe had provided was met with an inaudible murmur. Not the most pleasant or lively response the small teacher had received. Yet it was something to be expected considering everything that had happened. The small teacher kept her eyes trained on Mugino Shizuri as she closed the door and stepped further into the cramped abode. Honestly, this apartment was not meant to accommodate more than one or two people tops. Despite that, here she was, shacked up in a small living space with three growing teenagers.

Of course these were the minor complaints of a pint-sized semi-drunk adult.

"Have you eaten yet, Mugino-chan? We still have some dinner left over from earlier if you want some."

No response.

Not even a glance was directed at her as the Meltdowner made her way across the room. Her destination was clear and that place was the space at the foot of Kamijou's futon. Mugino's bag slipped off her arm upon arrival and thumped loudly as it hit the floor. She did not sit down though, rather she moved around to his side whilst removing the comforter over top of him. From there she took to inspecting the bandages, seemingly looking for any that were in need of replacing. Following this she checked on his breathing and heart-rate; finding that neither of these things were erratic or failing.

"We already changed his bandages earlier today." She made this statement after casually taking a long drag of the cigarette between her lips. "He was also starting to stink, so we washed him up while we were at it."

Of course this knowledge did not seem to register to the Level 5. Not that much of anything registered to her since the evening she found out what had happened. Oh yes, Komoe was aware of that argument that had occurred between Mugino and Kamijou. Actually, she only knew that it had happened, not so much on the specifics of what it was about. He had been pretty tight-lipped regarding it, to which she had called him an idiot. Thanks to that, it took a bit of effort to get in contact with the #4 after everything had happened. It took a text message, as well as a picture, to finally get the girl's attention.

Needless to say, the door was nearly kicked off its squeaking hinges when Mugino showed up later that same evening. For a girl who often wore heels, she could deliver a fierce kick. On top of that, though she was already partially aware of it, Mugino also had a very vulgar tongue too. A lot of the things she said to Index were far from polite and most definitely added to the nun's grief a fair bit. However, by some miracle of God, things did not escalate into physical violence. That did not mean that the Level 5 took any comfort in being in the same room with the girl. In fact she could hardly look at the white garbed nun without scowling or sucking her teeth in indignation.

Yet another aspect of that evening which the pint-sized educator pointedly ignored.

"Anything weird happen today?"

Beer can at her lips, Komoe's body perked up slightly as Mugino addressed her directly. Her attention, however, did not deviate away from the prone boy.

"Nothing outside of the ordinary." Retorted the small adult, her voice vibrating the empty space within the can. "I am still in charge of giving supplementary lessons to some of my students over summer break. Outside of their antics, nothing too abnormal happened."

Once more, the girl gave little sign of acknowledging what was said. Nevertheless, Komoe kept nonchalantly observing the girl's actions from afar. Hard for the child-sized woman to deny how charming it was seeing Mugino act this way. Looking the boy over, making sure the wraps were not bound to him too tightly and such. Endearing in a way similar to how a mother hen fusses over their sick or injured child. Not quite the same, in fact there was probably a more accurate terminology that could be used here. Sadly the term eluded the high school teacher, although it was reasonable to assume that the Level 5 would probably know if she were to ask.

...

Ah, who was she kidding, of course Mugino would know.

But that was beside the point.

The point to be made here was that Mugino was trying to do her part. And much like Index, there was a great deal of grief behind her efforts. Likely because of her argument with Kamijou the evening of the incident that placed him in this state. It did not take an expert in psychology to determine that. Unlike the case of the nun, Komoe did not know precisely the reason why she was desolate. Although, that was not to say that the child-sized adult was entirely clueless. She was already aware that the two had a disagreement earlier that evening. So it was not hard for her to venture a guess that it was guilt born from something that was said.

Life was a fickle and frail thing after all.

One moment someone could be perfectly fine and the next minute they could die for any number of reasons. Freak accidents, disease, or even being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We never know how long we are set to be in this world. It could end for anyone within the next month or in the next minute. We often forget that and sometimes say things to someone before we are given the chance to take it back. Sometimes it is not even a matter of what was said but rather what was not that eats away at a person. Things which we lacked the courage to say and ultimately never would be given that chance ever again.

Depressing stuff.

Quite as depressing as watching Mugino sit quietly over by her lover's bedside. Watching her sit there, his right hand in her lap, staring down at it as her own hand rested atop of it.

"You really should eat something, Mugino-chan." This alcohol fueled outburst from the child-sized educator cut the air like a knife. Especially since it sounded less vibrate and cheery than it did not long ago. "Kamijou-chan isn't going anywhere. You, on the other hand, can come and go as you please. You left earlier this afternoon and you only just came back. That's plenty of time for you to get some dinner for yourself."

Now Komoe was not the type of gir- _woman_ to pry into other people's affairs. If they did not wish to speak about something, she would not force herself upon them. The best she could do was remind them that she was willing to lend an ear. But in the case of Mugino Shizuri, she truly wanted to make an exception for her. Again, maybe it was the alcohol that was making her more willing to poke and prod at an issue.

Either that or she just did not like seeing the girl tear herself apart like this.

"I'm not the one who you need to be worried about."

If Mugino was trying to sound reassuring then she failed.

Terribly.

"It's sensei's job to worry about all of her students." Shot back the woman while absentmindedly snuffing out the cigarette in the nearest ashtray. "It doesn't matter if I'm on or off the clock, it's still my duty. Both as a teacher and as an adult. If a student is troubled, then I'm obligated to do my part to make sure they are physically, mentally, and emotionally stable."

"I'm not your student, Komoe-sensei."

"Mhm, no you're not. Then again, I never saw you as being any different from those who are."

Mugino, in what was now becoming the norm, sucked her teeth in response. Flattery, however, was not going to alleviate the issues currently plaguing the girl's thoughts.

Truth be told, much like everyone else, Komoe was quite shocked by Kamijou's relationship status.

Sure, it was not her business to know this. By all accounts she should not have been too concerned about it. So long as his grades did not plummet, he was entitled to do what he pleased. Yet she still heard about it, thanks to her rowdy students, and was still surprised by it. Double that astonishment when she actually met Mugino in person. That first encounter gradually became one among many. Her visits to the school being numerous thanks to her lover being forced into supplementary lessons. So it should be expected that many of those visits resulted in the two ladies conversing afterwards.

And more often than not, those conversations came at the expense of Kamijou's dignity.

Those talks did not just kill time for the two ladies. Komoe was able to gather a great deal of information about the girl from them. For instance; Komoe came to realize how intelligent, reliable, organized, and over-all mature the young lady was. What she had also come to notice was her subdued temperament from time to time. As well as her crude vocabulary and tactless behavior on top of that. Such traits became abundantly clear the more they spoke and, to Komoe, that was fine. Nobody was perfect nor was anyone expecting her to be. Even the eventual reveal of her status as a Level 5 did not change Komoe's view of the girl.

If anything it served to explain many of the impressive qualities that she possessed.

With all of this being said, it was safe to say that Komoe had come to like the girl. Her influence on Kamijou showed in the gradual incline of his grades; which was no doubt her doing. Putting the school related aspects aside, she truly did think that Mugino was a good influence. Guiltily, the small teacher often thought that she was perhaps _too good_ for the dimwitted boy. For a period of time she harbored some serious doubts about the Level 5. Komoe had even gone as far as to think that she was simply leading Kamijou by the nose this whole time. Critical as that may sound, their union was off putting enough to warrant that sort of suspicion.

Not her proudest moment and there was also no shame in her admitting that.

Call it a healthy amount of disbelief rather than flat out distrust.

However, those concerns had long since been dismissed. While initially bewildering, time had proven the educator wrong. Their interactions, not hers but them as a couple, proved there existed some chemistry. From her perspective it appeared genuine and honest. Increased exposure of the two while together only served to demonstrate that with greater clarity. There was no ulterior motives or gimmicks to be had. They were simply an odd couple that, somehow, worked. Which was what made seeing Mugino like this all the more impactful. Seeing the image of such a lovely girl slowly wilting away like a flower in the fall season was a dismal sight.

It may not look too bad right away. She may pretend to be okay at this specific moment in time. But how long could she truly last like this? How long would it take before that pristine visage became nothing more than a husk of a human being? Same could be said about Index as well. They had no idea when Kamijou would wake up. Yet they were stubborn and unwilling move him elsewhere for proper help. Both Mugino and Index did not want to risk him being hurt anymore than he already was. In doing so, they were ultimately hurting themselves. Slowly but surely, this endeavor was destroying the two from the inside.

And, truth be told, it was beginning to grow irksome.

That said, the woman of short stature chugged back the remainder of her beverage. Letting out a loud exhale as the empty can was slammed down before standing up. Not even bothering to retrieve the empty can, she shuffled her onesie pajama-clad feet over towards the fridge.

"You still keep calling me sensei, by the way." Remarked Komoe in a manner that was both abrupt and offhanded in nature. "That means you are, in essence, a student...a life student. Yes, that works, you're my life student! That makes me your life teacher and this here is my first one-on-one life lesson."

"Tch, save your breath, I don't need-"

"And tonight that lesson is to not neglect your own needs!"

Komoe might have interrupted the Level 5 a bit louder than intended. She also may have sounded more elated about it than she should have been. The passion of a genuine educator was nothing to scoff at. Especially when said educator was as enthusiastic as she was.

The alcohol only made it more pronounced.

"Sensei understands that you're worried about Kamijou-chan. She gets that there may have been some hard feelings that might be eating away at Mugino-chan. But Kamijou-chan isn't the only person that cares about you a lot. Sensei cares enough that she can tell you don't look like you've slept or eaten anything since the night this happened. If sensei can tell that much, then imagine how many other people have noticed it too. And just like me, none of them wanna see you doing this to yourself. You hurt more people by doing that sorta thing to yourself. On top of that, I don't think Kamijou-chan would like seeing you this way."

Although Komoe was speaking directly to Mugino, she was not facing her. The former was had kept her back to her as she was busy retrieving her beverage of choice. This left the latter to stare, maybe even glare, over at her by the fridge. She knew that because it was something that the teacher instinctively felt at that time. At least...that was what Komoe assumed anyway. Having a buzz made it difficult to determine if she had someone's undivided attention or not. Unless she was looking at them of course, but that could also sometimes be dodgy.

"You talk about that shit like I give a damn." Mugino, though possessing mildly irate undertones, remained at a mostly subdued speaking level. "Fact of the matter is that I don't. I couldn't care less about what you or anyone else thinks. And this isn't some bullshit drama flick you can find in TV shows and movies. Like I'm gonna sit at home, starve myself and spend sleepless nights staring at my damn ceiling. I sleep when I'm tired and eat when I'm hungry just fucking fine."

"That could be right and that would mean sensei is worrying about nothing. But I think you do give a damn about what people think."

Glancing over her shoulder, she was unsurprised to see the girl no longer (or never was) looking at her. A low sigh escaped from the adult as she retrieved what she wanted. Komoe then turned around to face the girl, shutting the refrigerator with her foot as she did so. Her onesie clad feet shuffled quietly along the tatami mats as she closed the gap between them.

"Kamijou-chan doesn't talk about you a lot at school. N-not because he doesn't think about you, I'm sure he does since I sometimes catch him spacing out in class. Sensei thinks it's because his friends keep teasing him about it. Anyways, even if he doesn't say it, sensei knows that you mean a whole lot to him."

"What are you getting at?"

Mugino's snappy comment was rewarded with a cold beer can being pressed against her neck. Startled, the Meltdowner's head whipped around to glare at the child-sized adult. Komoe met that heated gaze with one of her own. On a subconscious level, the pink haired woman puffed her cheeks and thus unknowingly ruined the whole image of a stern adult.

"Stop pretending that you don't care. We both know for a fact Kamijou-chan means a lot to you. He probably means more than you've ever dared to care about anyone. If you're worried about him, then say you're worried. We both know he would be if the roles were reversed. Sensei isn't saying that having control over your feelings is a bad thing. But bottling all that up inside you is no better than starving yourself of food and sleep."

Somewhere during this time something had begun to trickle down her face. As much as she wanted to feign ignorance, she knew better. Those tears, fueled by frustration and anxiety, were most definitely coaxed out of her via alcohol. No, she was not an emotionally frail individual who disliked raising her voice. She was a reasonable adult who's emotions accidently spilled out too much. Disregarding the cause of those tears, Komoe did not make a move to wipe them away. She kept her tear-stained gaze locked onto the #4's own as she pressed on further; even as her bottom lip began to tremble.

"M-Mugino-chan is a good girl. I really believe that and want to keep on believing it. It's just that everyone came to sensei for help and-and it's not fair. It's not fair because, as much as I want to, sensei can't do anything if none of you will let me!"

She knew of Mugino's power and was well aware of her many outstanding qualities. In spite of those traits, no _because_ of those traits, Komoe knew she could not let this go on. As an adult, a teacher, and as an overall decent human being, she could not allow this to stand. And the longer they held their individual gazes, the brighter this tiny teacher's resolve shined. To falter here would be an act of surrender and Komoe had no intention of yielding. Tsukuyomi Komoe was determined to help see this girl through her silent suffering.

"Mugino-chan...if you need someone to talk to then I'm right here. Sensei will wait up for you and will always be here ready to listen."

Some say size was not important when it came to a person's strength of character. Now that was a philosophy Komoe could gladly get behind. For in this moment, in this room, Komoe felt as though she was the tallest person here.

"So please, _please_ , let sensei help you."

Somehow that feeling became mutual as there was a flicker in Mugino's eyes. A glint of something came and went so quickly that she almost passed it off as her imagination. Whatever it was caused the Level 5 to scowl as she returned her attention back towards the sleeping boy. Good thing too, it let the little adult wipe her eyes without breaking contact. Still, that provided no comfort to her as a wave of defeat swiftly washed over her.

"...I'm assuming Kamijou told you about our little disagreement." Just like that, with that dry but glum tone, the feelings of defeat began to change. "Listen, I'm not about to sit here and apologize to anyone; not him, you, or the nun. I just..."

In the place of defeat came relief and alongside relief came hope. It was the hope that she could finally provide aid in some way to these kids. Mugino just happened to be the biggest hurdle for her to overcome. That was okay though as every step forward, large or small, was being made in the right direction. Having said that, after some undignified nasal wiping courtesy of her sleeve, Komoe moved to Mugino's side and sat down.

"There's no rush, so take your time. Sensei isn't going anywhere."

A loud crack of a can being opened served as further proof of that statement.

"Tch, I'm tempted to ask for one of those."

"Don't push your luck, Mugino-chan. Come back and ask me again in four or five more years."

Easy to forget that she was a teacher first and foremost. Sue her for not condoning the illicit idea of minors drinking alcohol. Mugino apparently found her deadpan expression and tone amusing by some margin. Humorous enough to entice no less than a few light chuckles out of her. Which, in turn, only made the pink haired woman huff before taking a swig from her drink out of indignation.

Still, it had been awhile since Komoe had heard the girl laugh.

Short lived as it may have been, it was nice for the woman to hear it again.

* * *

 **Plea of the Lost Lamb**

* * *

Kamijou Touma was a curious case to the individual known as Index Librorum Prohibitorum.

He was unremarkable, stubborn, dense, and occasionally very rude. Yet he was kind, honest, innocent, and protective. Good traits that went hand-in-hand with the less than pleasant ones. So why did she try so hard to keep him safe? When did she acquire this compulsion to protect him? Surely things would be easier for her if she had disregarded him and put focus solely on escaping her pursuers. Lord knows many mishaps could have been avoided had she done so from the beginning. The destruction of her Walking Church, the subsequent case of indecent exposure, and the wound she had received just to name a few.

Most prominently of all these mishaps was the one which was currently in play.

"Heh. It looks like we won't have to worry about you escaping with those injuries."

Two magicians, her pursuers, that were currently standing within this very room. A room that she had not left in days and the place where Kamijou Touma also resided. The same boy who had awoken that compulsive protective desire within her. She had never thought much about it or, at least, not initially anyway. Three days being cooped up in this small home did give her plenty of time to think on it.

Was it because he was first person she had met when she snuck into this city?

No, that was not the reason.

Was it due to him being the first person she established a bond with since she woke up in Japan almost a year ago?

No, that too was incorrect.

Her reasons were simply because it was the right thing to do. Because this was not his fight to begin with, even if he treated it as if it was his own. This was her battle, her struggle, and she did not want him to be involved in it. She had told him that at the very beginning not to concern himself with her affairs. She had explicitly stated that he did not need to get himself involved and yet he did it anyway. He did it to protect her, when it was her who was supposed to be protecting him. Their roles had reversed somewhere along the path that brought them to this point. What Index was doing was setting the course back on the proper course that it should have been.

"Leave, magicians."

Which is why her voice held such a firm resolve as she stood before these two magicians. Such was the purpose behind her green eyes glaring up at them in open defiance. It was the reason she stood between them and the boy whom they had harmed. It was Index's own negligence that was to blame for the state in which Kamijou was in. The other magician may have performed the deed, but her own carelessness had been what allowed it to happen. Kamijou Touma should not have to be asked to pay the price of her failures.

"...Stop, Index. They aren't our-"

" _Leave!_ "

She could hear him, she most definitely heard him speak, but she was not having any of it. She was the one to blame for all of this. It was her who inadvertently dragged Touma into this mess. True, it was his decision to become more involved in it. Nonetheless, she was the one who literally brought it to his doorstep. No, wait, that was not correct. This outcome had been preordained since the moment he found her on his balcony. From the very moment he offered her food that stuffy summer morning.

She should not have overstayed her welcome at his residence, but she did.

"Please..."

She should not have gone back to his home later on, but she did.

"I'll go wherever you want and I'll do whatever you want. Just please, I beg of you..."

She should not have grown so familiar with him, but she did.

"Just don't hurt Touma anymore."

This was her plea, her request, her last gambit to hopefully make things right. Touma did not need to suffer on her behalf anymore. She would not let him suffer anymore than he already has. This was the best way to repay his kindness. To give thanks to the first person she had established a bond with. No more would he be burdened with the hardships that came from her existence in his life. He could go back to peaceful days without forcing himself to be concerned with her wellbeing.

Frankly, she would not be surprised if this turn of events upset him deeply. Such a bitter outcome was sure to leave a fowl taste in his mouth. He may never come to forgive her for compromising to the magicians in this way. Overall, whether he accepted it or not mattered little in the grand scheme of things. Touma had done enough for her sake and this was the best way, perhaps the only way, for this to end. She was not about to run and leave him at the mercy of these people. A factor that was, no doubt, accounted for by the two individuals in front of her. It would explain why they so brazenly approached this place in broad daylight.

They had nothing to fear because they had the advantage and they knew it.

"The time limit comes in another twelve hours and thirty-eight minutes." She could only assume that was the amount of time they would give her before taking her away. Oh how _generous_ of them. "We simply wanted to see if her shackles would function or not. Seems like we do not need to worry about her running off when the time comes. They turned out to be more effective than even we expected. If you do not want to have that toy taken from you, give up any hope of escape. Understand?"

She had no intention of escaping in the first place, so she undoubtedly understood. Purely out of spite, however, Index did not provide any form of response. Not that they needed to see or hear a visual or verbal affirmation from her. As it has been established already, they were in control and were well aware of it. She did not want to give them the twisted satisfaction of knowing they had won.

"Well, well, well, would you look at this? A big house party and I wasn't invited?"

Index, in spite of herself, felt her eyes shift towards the front door. Much like the other two magicians and Komoe had done upon hearing that voice ring out.

...God bless it...

Why did _she_ have to show up now of all times?

"Hmm." As Scary Face stepped further into the room, her eyes examined the two unfamiliar faces. Index had the unfortunate pleasure of watching her expression contort into something more...unpleasant. "Oi, red head, you match the description of someone I've been looking for. Is that a coincidence or are you the flaming fuck I heard about?"

Please, Scary Face, do not engage these two.

Not here.

Not now.

"What if it is not a coincidence?" Challenged the man as traces of amusement played into his tone. There was also trace amounts of puzzlement in it as well, though it was not as pronounced as the former. "What does it matter to you if I am?"

Despite the obvious height difference, Mugino stepped forward and into his physical bubble without care or concern. Even then, the flame magician did not budge an inch. Not when she stood in his way or when her eyes narrowed further as she peered up at him.

"You don't, you aren't the person I'm interested in...not right now anyway." Mugino's gaze lingered for a few seconds before shifting over towards the female next to him. "This bitch, on the other hand, is the one I'm interested in. Guessing she's your partner, meaning she's the one who beat my boyfriend into a pulpy mess."

Much like the flame magician, the woman did not so much as flinch under Scary Face's harsh gaze. Nor did she move an inch when she moved into her personal space. Between the two magicians, the height difference was not as extreme. Still it was enough to force the Esper to incline her head slightly to look her in the eyes. Unlike with the male, Index could not see the expression Mugino was wearing since the red-head was blocking her view. If she were to guess though, Index would be right to assume it was far beyond unpleasant looking.

"I'm gonna enjoy killing you, bitch."

That voice...well...it sounded like the devil had possessed her.

And it was honestly terrifying.

"You are more than welcome to try, little girl."

Count that as the second time that challenging tone was used. This time, however, there was no mirthful undertones or confusion laced within it. It was callous, it was resolute, and it was patiently waiting for whatever move the other girl made. Much to Index's growing dread, small spheres of light began to brighten the room as they floated in the air. Thus far, Index had no idea what those spheres were, where they came from, or what they could do. On a hunch though, she could surmise that it was Scary Face who was doing it. Which, by default, was not a good sign since Komoe seemed to become increasingly more panicked by it.

And yet the woman did not even bat an eye at the intense green glow.

Her expression remained impassive even then.

"S-Shizuri!"

Like the flipping of a light-switch, the green glowing spheres abruptly vanished.

"...Touma?" Strange was it to hear her voice sound so soft and uncertain. Especially after being on the receiving end of her aggression for the past three days. "I'm not hearing shit, am I?"

Index watched as Mugino stepped passed the two magicians and glance at the person laying behind her. What she saw first in those usually hateful eyes was bewilderment. Bewilderment turned into relief, which then turned into joy. Joy that succeeded in reaching her entire face as a small smile began to form on her lips. She had taken a single step, just one, before her shoulder bumped into the flame magician's side. That action must have served as a reminder to her. Because those positive emotions faded away as she cast a glance to her side. Morphing and twisting back into a face that Index had the misfortune of being familiar with.

Actually, if possible, it looked much worse than usual.

A gaze _that_ hateful and pitiless belonged on a beast more so than on a young woman.

"Get. Out."

It was not a request; it was a demand.

A demand that the two were keen on following.

Although Index doubted it because Scary Face had told them to.

"But don't think for a second that we're done here." Added the young woman through gritted teeth. Her head adjusting enough to cast one last glare at the female magician. "I'm fucking you up, bitch. Do you hear me? The next time I see you, I'm ripping out your uterus and forcing it down your fucking throat."

No response was given in return.

Her threats meant nothing to these people.

They simply left without offering another word.

"Are you okay?"

A question proposed by Touma as Scary Face and Komoe watched the pair leave. In her own efforts to calm her nerves, Index released an almost inaudible sigh. Her raised arms lowering as she moved to face the boy she was trying to shield. She was not crying, yet all the same she felt like doing so as she looked back at him. Sadness and relief were on the verge of overwhelming her entire being. In spite of that, she was somehow able to muster up a smile. She could see that Touma's eyes were shut and that his jaw was clenched. Those simple observations served to show just how painful it was for him to be so powerless to help her.

Perhaps that was the reason why she was so attached to him. Even at his lowest point he had not stopped wishing to protect her. Such knowledge should have made her happy and to some degree she was. Truly, she was grateful for him being so determined to help her. All the same, this was all for the betterment of everyone. She was the dedicated lamb who protects the knowledge of the strong. That was her purpose and she had long since accepted that. Magicians would never stop pursuing her for the 103,000 magical grimoires stored inside her. So the longer she stayed, the more pain she would inadvertently cause him in the long run.

For with much wisdom came much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

"If I make a deal with them I can keep your life from being destroyed anymore, Touma." The knot in her throat made these words difficult to get out. Yet she had managed to relay them without choking up partway through. "I won't let them intrude on your life anymore, so don't worry."

Index could see his head lulling, meaning that unconsciousness had overtaken him again. Understandable, the rate in which these events were playing out must have been too much. Regardless, she meant every word and it was not solely spoken to him either.

"That goes for you as well." Braving the flames, she turned to face the woman who was now scowling at her. "When the time comes, I will do what they ask of me. In return for my cooperation, I will request that they do no future harm to any of you. Once they have me they will have no reason to concern themselves with any of you, of that I am certain. So, once again, don't worry; it will all be over soon."

While she was speaking to both of them, Index did not avert her gaze away from Mugino's. Implying that, between Scary Face and Komoe, the former was the one to whom she was truly addressing this to. Personally, Index did not like this girl one bit. As far as she was aware, Scary Face never seemed happy about anything. Her quick temper and cynical nature only further added to the list of qualities that made her difficult to be around. Those were petty reasons and were not the entire truth behind her dislike of the girl.

One such reason being the way she looked at everyone as though they were nothing.

Not just in the sense that everyone around her was inferior. It went beyond being prideful, rather it was as though every other person's life did not matter to her. Scary Face did not care about the woes of those around her. All she was concerned with where matters that effected her and no one else. On top of that, those pools of amber brown always seemed vacant, dull, and lifeless when she peered into them. It never ceased to fill Index with intense, yet justified, feelings of trepidation whenever Scary Face gazed back at her. Spurring on the nun in training's belief that she had no empathy for anyone at all.

...well, almost no one.

Which played into the second, more selfish, reason for her dislike of the girl.

"The fuck it will."

Mugino spat out those words out of her mouth as if they were spoiled fruit. A short gait was all it took for the taller woman to be upon her. Try as she might, Index could help but twitch as the sound of Mugino's loud footfalls made one last loud thud on the tatami mats. Having stopped less than two feet from her, the nun could easily make out the ferocity of her features. Uneasy as Index was, she did her best to maintain a passive expression as she stood face-to-face with this beast.

If an analogy was needed, it was like a wolf eyeing a lamb who had gone astray.

"You can't promise anything so don't bother trying spoon-feeding me that bullshit. " Said beast in question leaned over a bit to get further into her face, much to the growing nun's displeasure. "As far as I'm concerned, I can't trust you to be certain of a damn thing. I don't need or want your optimistic crap so save your breath. Now go squat in corner or something and pray to your fucking God. It's about the most useful thing you can do for us now."

"That...is a wonderful suggestion." If nothing else, Index could take pride in herself for gathering the courage to utter these words with a smile. "I'll happily pray for everyone's future wellbeing; including yours. I sincerely hope that God grants you a long life."

A long, miserable, lonely, and empty life.

Heathen wretch.

"M-Mugino-chan, we already talked about this, so please don't fight."

Komoe's weak plea did nothing to quell the agitation shown on the older girl's face. What it did do was make her straighten herself so that she was no longer leaning into her face anymore. Anger was still the predominant emotion and her flattened lips displayed her wish to voice more of her thoughts. Yet that soon dissipated once her gaze turned elsewhere, specifically the futon behind her and the boy who was in it. From there, Mugino's expression grew more neutral the longer she looked. Index was not surprised by this gradual change in expression. She had seen it happen too many times in the past three days to be surprised by it anymore.

Touma was the only person who she seemed to care about. Majority of her reason for being here was solely for his sake and nothing else. Oddly enough, she would try to hide that fact from the rest of them. Like she was afraid to make herself vulnerable or expose a weakness in front of them. Scary Face's list of emotions ranged from angry, annoyed, or neutral; with the most outstanding one of the emotional spectrum being anger. Anger at her most of the time despite Komoe's efforts to keep the peace.

"Tch, whatever, I'm getting some air."

Rather than the front door, Mugino's choice of destination was the balcony. Her shoulder roughly checked against her own, but Index simply let it be. There was no point in getting angry and she did not have the energy to be mad about it in the first place. It was not as though Index did not understand the reason behind all this animosity being hurled at her. Nor did she blame the older girl for regarding her with such blatant disdain. Just as Scary Face had said when they first met, all of this was her fault.

Index could not deny it then and would not deny it now.

What was the point when she already knew that it was true?

Not that her admittance of guilt was going to matter for much longer. She had made her decision, now all that was left for her to do was wait until the allotted time came. In a way, she was mildly grateful that she was given such a broad window of time before being taken away. Putting aside Scary Face's bitterness, that experience a couple minutes ago had left her exhausted. As a matter of fact, she could feel the beginnings of a headache starting to surface. Yet that dull throb was of little importance to the nun in training at this moment. With so little that could be done, it the most productive thing she could do was to pray; just as Scary Face had suggested.

To pray for good fortune to smile on those who tried to help her. To pray for the Lord to shower these people with His blessings. To pray that, no matter what happened to her, Touma would be safe and happy. To pray that, at her behest, he awaken one last time before she was to be taken from him. At the very least give her the chance to say goodbye. Above all else, let this lamb's one selfish request be heard. Inevitable as her fate was, she did not wish to part without that simple luxury.

Let their last moments together be something she could always remember and hold dear in her heart.

* * *

 **The Apple of Her Eye**

* * *

Why did things have to be such a mess?

Summer vacation was supposed to be the highlight of her year. Mugino Shizuri should have been enjoying this generous amount of free time to the fullest. It was supposed to have been just her and Touma with minimal distractions. Spending time at restaurants, theaters, malls, his dorm room, a beach or pool. This was meant to be her time to cut loose, to have some much needed fun without the troubles of life. Such was how she planned it in her head as the days ticked by. It was part of the reason she helped him get his grades up, to avoid doing those supplementary classes over the break.

And yet nothing had played out in the way she had anticipated.

"-eed to destroy her memories."

Who was talking and who else was in here besides her?

What was this talk about destroying memories?

Anyways, it was irritating how quickly things had spiraled downhill since summer break started. All because some little fucking nun decided to fall from the sky. And who's balcony did she just so happened to land on? Of course _it had to be_ _his._ Out of all the verandas she could have potentially ended up on, it had to be her white-knight boyfriend's. What were the fucking odds of that? Of all people, of all places, why did she have to meet Kamijou Touma? A city of 2.3 million people and she landed on his god-damn doorstep!?

It should have been downright impossible!

So why, why did it still play out this way!?

"-ure to find an ending where everyone is smiling and happy!"

Everyone was happy except for her!

Okay, that part probably was not true. The last time she had spoken to Kamijou, he seemed far from happy about his current situation. He was not pleased with what was taking place, not even a little bit. Yet he resolved to see it through to the end without her being involved. In her mind, fuck it, let him deal with it by his damn self and see how far he gets without her help. She did not think much of it, she did not think he needed her help to begin with. That was the sort of person he was, someone too stubborn to admit when he was in over his head until he was waist deep in a shit-water. It would not have been the first time he had to learn his lesson the hard way.

Then he goes and gets himself beaten to a pulp a couple hours later.

Beaten so badly that he was put into a comatose state for the past three days. Once more because of that fucking nun and the people who were apparently chasing her holy little ass. Index, the little shit, was the reason all of this had happened in the first place. Had the twat not shown up, her and Kamijou could have been going about their business like usual. Things could have stayed as they had been leading up to summer break. But no, she had to come in and throw plastic explosives into the clockwork called their lives. No amount of apologizing or praying was going to take back the damage she had caused.

Komoe-sensei and Touma may forgive her for it, but Mugino Shizuri would not.

"-much pain to even open her eyes!? Can you tell her to wait bec-"

God dammit!

What was with all this racket anyway!?

There was a reason behind that question and that reason was the fog clouding her brain at the moment. Darkness coated her vision until a few moments ago. The lids covering her eyes gradually cracking open, taking in the soft indoor lights in the main room of Komoe-sensei's apartment. When one of her eyes had finally opened, she expected to see sun the shining in through the glass door or window. Instead, the dark of night was what greeted her; much to the growing confusion of the Meltdowner.

Awareness of her surroundings grew the more questions she asked. Like, for example, how her head was resting on a fluffy pillow and why she had covers over her person. Another example was when did she fall asleep while sitting at the small table next to the window. The more data she acquired, the faster the fog in her mind began to dissipate. Processing it all still took time and her vision was still all but a blur to her. She could make out shapes and colors, but they were distorted and conflicting to the point that it was disorientating. So much so that she was forced to close her eye again and let the world around her stop spinning.

It did not help; if anything it got worse.

"-ill human or are you a monster who ha- "

Dammit all.

This was _not_ the best way for her to wake up.

To be fair, this outcome was to be expected due to the excess hours she had spent awake over the past few days. Sleep had not been her priority, finding the piece of shit who put her boyfriend in a coma was. An exhausting effort that, ultimately, led her from one dead-end to another. There just was no information about the person Touma described in any databases within the city. This person was not a student or part of the underbelly either; meaning the shit-bag was not an inhabitant of Academy City. Furthermore, he apparently was not an esper either since Takitsubo's AIM Stalker was unable to find anything.

Not the sort of news Mugino wanted to hear at the time. Henceforth, as a means to blow off some steam, she took on some jobs. Quite a few of them actually; with some of them going on well into the early morning. Alas, there was a limit to how long she could keep herself busy without the risk of falling asleep on a public tram. Eventually there would be no work for her and she would need the time to rest. Mugino was well aware of this, yet she did not mean to stay asleep for such a prolonged period of time. She just wanted a little nap; a short reprieve to let her heavy eyes rest a bit.

Full-blown slumber that went well into the evening was not part of the plan. Her entire body ached to the point that she felt as though she had passed through a meat-grinder. Most of that ache was centered around her back; likely due to the way she had been sleeping. Meanwhile, dizziness and exhaustion continued to play their parts in making her feel miserable. Her eyelids felt heavy and forcing them open felt like it was a bigger hassle than it otherwise should have been. All-in-all, she felt like a corporate salary-man after working four days of back-to-back overtime.

"-then negate it, you mutant who thinks he's a hero!"

Might explain why she kept fading in and out of slumber throughout this whole conversation.

Putting aside her current state of being, she was not being entirely truthful. Not all of this was the nun's fault...even though a large majority of it was. Privately, meaning exclusively to herself, Mugino had also come to admit that she shared some of the blame. She should not have left him to sort through this mess on his own. It was not what he wanted, but he stuck his nose into everyone else's business all the time. Just a little push from her and she could have used that platform as a means to stay. But she did not do that, she let him do as he pleased, and as a consequence he had to suffer for it.

In a way, she felt just as responsible for his current state as the nun did. She was as stubborn as he was and yet, at the time, she backed down from it. Was it the argument that caused it or something else that extended beyond that? Truth be told, she already knew the correct answer to that question. Without exception she knew, but she would never admit it; neither aloud nor in her own thoughts.

"-why can't I save just one suffering girl?"

...that was Touma's voice.

Was he awake?

Hearing his voice again, no matter how utterly tired she felt, gave her incentive not to doze off again. Her toes curled as she worked to stretch her legs from beneath the table. Both of which were numb and her feet felt as though they were being prodded by a thousand tiny pins and needles. A tired groan emerged from her throat from both that feeling and as she commenced to force her eyes to open. Everything was still too distorted, forcing her to squint so that her eyes could slowly adjust. None of these actions, it seemed, played a part in halting the progress of the conversation at hand.

"We still have ten minutes left until we perform the ceremony." Another girl was in here...and she sounded familiar. Given her groggy state, however, she could not immediately place why. "On the night we swore to erase her memories, we spent the whole night crying by her side. Isn't that right, Stiyl?"

What the fuck was a Stiyl?

"B-but we have no idea what he'll do. What if he attempts a double suicide while we aren't looking?"

Ah, it's a person.

...wait...hold on, what was that about double suicide?

"If he was willing to do that, don't you think he would have touched the cross right away? You only used the real cross rather than the fake because you were already sure he was human, right?"

"But-"

"Whatever we do, we cannot perform the ceremony until the time is right. If he has any regrets left, he might try to stop us mid-ceremony Stiyl."

At this point, Mugino was no longer forced to squint. Bit-by-bit her vision began to clear up and the fog clouding her mind had just about dissipated completely. Several seconds of scrunching and wiggling her toes had finally managed to wake her feet up from their own slumber. Once she gained some clarity and the discomforting sensation in her feet and legs faded, her mind fully registered what was taking place. Specifically the big question of 'who else was here' finally came to her.

The same people who were here earlier had returned.

"You have ten minutes. Got it!?

Now they were leaving again...as in right now.

...convenient...

Mugino did not even bother to suppress the yawn as the two exited the room and out the front door. Funny, she was just about to get up and carry out the promise she made with that one bitch. Oh well, that was fine, ten minutes was more than enough time for her to fully wake up. She felt the thin covers over her shoulders slide off as she sat up to a proper seating position. After removing the crust from her eyes, her attention was drawn to the only other person sitting in the room with her. She would have smiled upon seeing Touma sitting there wide awake. Just looking at him now did momentarily cause the corners of her lips to rise.

Although, annoyingly enough, they dropped back down when he did not turn to face her. After all the noise she had made, he did not turn his gaze anywhere else. Kamijou's attention was focused solely on the weak panting nun laying on the futon. While the #4 would never admit it, that sort of dismissal hurt more than a gunshot wound.

It was as if she was not even there.

"Touma?"

That girl's voice was so weak that the Meltdowner almost did not hear it.

"...I'm sorry."

Same could almost be said about Kamijou here as well. Between the two, however, his came with a greater degree of lucidity than the latter. Making it that much easier for Mugino to understand how painful this all was to him. He had a habit of apologizing to her a lot, that much was true. But, oftentimes, those were for petty things; matters that were of no real consequence.

This though...this was an apology reserved for when someone had truly failed.

"Touma, there's some kind of magic circle in this room."

"...It's for recovery magic. We can't have your headaches being this bad, now can we?"

By this point, Mugino was just rolling with what she was hearing. This was the city of science, a place where God was all but dead. Dabbling into the occult was not a healthy thing for any person to do. Be that as it may, once again, she was rolling with it. That did not stop one of her thin eyebrows from raising at the mention of recovery magic. In all likelihood, he probably did not have even the faintest idea of what he was talking about.

"Magic...who's casting it?"

With the cat out of the bag, the little nun suddenly perked up and went into a state of panic. At which point Kamijou commenced to try and keep her calm. Fruitless effort in her eyes, though she was not idle during this period. Now that she was mostly awake, she began to stretch herself in a manner reminiscent to a cat. A few of her joints popped loudly in her ears, yet nothing she did seemed to catch the eye of either of the other two occupants. Nor did they seem to acknowledge the fact that she had risen from the table. Tempted as she was to interject, she chose to let everything play out as if she were still asleep.

Eventually the nun calmed down, albeit it was not by choice or via the coaxing of Kamijou. She simply lacked the energy needed to argue any further on the matter.

"...I'm sorry, I'll get stronger so that I'll never lose again. I'll get strong enough to kick the ass of every last person who would treat you like this..."

Folding her arms beneath her chest, Mugino leaned her shoulder against the window as her vision shifted to the outdoors. She took note of the fact that a few of the lights were on in some of the neighboring apartments. Beyond those few areas, most of the adjacent buildings were dark and lifeless.

"Just wait, next time I'll make sure to truly save you."

Mugino's eyes dimmed a bit upon hearing his solemn promise. She knew what it meant when he made a pledge to save someone. Idiot would go above and beyond for that person, regardless of if they believed they deserved it or not. How could she not know? Once upon a time, she had also been one of those people he had sworn to save. And, surprisingly enough, he succeeded in accomplishing that task. Alas, the #4 continued to do terrible, horrible, atrocious things. There was no denying that she remained to be the cause of many tragedies within the Darkness of this city.

Yet there was also no denying that something positive came from his efforts.

Killing was not as enjoyable to her as it used to be. The pride she had in her status of being a Level 5 had been significantly diluted to the point that she did not care as much about it anymore. Her interests and priorities had since shifted in different directions compared to what they used to be. Her jobs for ITEM bored her much easier these days and the mood between herself and the other girls had changed. Within five months, ITEM had quickly gone from being her means of enjoyment to...just being a chore.

"I understand, I'll wait."

Hearing that nun's voice again succeeded in breaking her from her internal musings. Furthermore, it also succeeded in causing the girl to roll her eyes. As 'touching' as this moment was, the melodramatic bullshit here was worse than the fake crap she sometimes caught on television.

"Once your headaches get better, let's take out these magicians and win your freedom. I'd like to go to the beach after that, but I'll have to save up some money for the trip."

"Tch."

Either they were so caught up in their conversation or they were pointedly ignoring her presence altogether. Broken vow of silence aside, that sounded like a copped-out line from a shounen manga. A beach trip did sound nice though, which is why it pissed her off hearing him suggest it. Stupid-ass nun, that was supposed to be _their_ date spot during the course of this summer!

"Would you like to transfer to my school once summer vacation is over?"

...strange, he never pitched that idea to her.

Slowly, very slowly, Mugino's head had turned to stare at the back of her boyfriend's spiky head.

Now she was getting livid.

"I'd like to make all sorts of memories."

It would not come as a surprise to the Meltdowner if she found a vein protruding from her brow.

"Don't worry, you will."

By the time those words had come, the nun had grown silent. Aside from her breathing, no more sappy weak words came spewing out of her mouth. Nor were any further words spoken by Kamijou, casting the room in a grave silence.

"Bout fucking time that nonsense stopped." Up until she decided to break it, causing Kamijou's body to twitch. "What sorta shitty reality TV show was I watching there, Kamijou?"

Turning on a dime, she was greeted by Touma's startled and widened blue eyes. She was unsure if that was out of horror for her insensitive commentary or from just now realizing she was awake. Not that it mattered, his composure had shifted by the time she had pushed herself away from the window. His eyes now staring at the tatami mats as his bandaged right hand clenched tightly into a fist. Whether that reaction was born from anger or sadness; Mugino had no idea.

"...heh...yeah, this is a horrible ending. " Hearing his defeated tone of voice served to make her stop half a mat away from his knelt body. "Spending a whole week's worth of time only for things to end up like this. Me, sitting here, counting down the minutes 'til her memories are erased. In the end, I couldn't do anything to stop this from happening. What sort of finale is this supposed to be-eeeeeeeooow!"

A shitty one, that's what.

One that she was not about to stand there and listen to for a second longer. Throughout the course of his pitiful ramblings, she closed the distance between them. Not once did Kamijou look up at her, which suited her just fine. It presented her with the opportunity to take a fist-full of his spiky hair and start pulling. So much so that he was forced to look up at her, to really look at her for the first time in three days. Albeit it was not in the way she wanted, but beggars could not be choosers.

"When the fuck did you start talking like that, huh?" In direct contrast to her usual mannerisms, Mugino was not angry. Disappointed and maybe a bit disgusted, yet anger was not present in her voice. "Did you change personalities or something while you conked out these past three days? Has being around this nun turned you into a pussy or something? Since when did you accept bullshit outcomes like these? When the hell did you stop looking for alternatives?"

"S-Shizu- ow! Stop it! Stop jerking my head around! It-ouch! It hurts!"

"Why? Seems like rattling this empty head of yours is the only way to get you back to your senses. Now quit the bitching, cut the melodrama, and get this spiky head of yours in gear. You've already wasted three whole minutes moping, you jackass. That means you've got five left to think of something and two left to act on it."

"Act on what!? I can't do anything about the- ouch!- the 103,000 grimorires taking up eighty-five percent of her brain! I can't do anything to -ow!- protect the memories filling up the fifteen percent...left...over...wait a minute."

"No, fucking explain to me what the hell you're talking about first." Sure, she was stopping him in the middle of his epiphany, but she wanted answers. "You had me lost at 'grimorires', now carry on from there and make it short."

"Fine, just stop tugging on my hair!"

Seeing that he was willing to oblige, Mugino complied with his request and ceased with the rough treatment of his cranium. From there, he gave her what she had asked for: details; although it was a bit over simplified for her tastes. Half of what he told her she did not understand...well, okay, most of it she did not understand. There was no feasible way to give a proper explanation for the complexities of their current problem. So she could forgive him for not providing the clearest of details regarding it since they were on a time crunch. Plus it sounded a lot like half of what he was saying was based on a secondhand source. Meaning he was just as ignorant on the inner workings of the occult as she was.

What Mugino could wrap her head around was the aspects regarding her memories. Specifically the percentage values about memory storage and brain activity. That was a foundation she could work with in regards to forming her own theories. Basically, the girl was like a computer in that she stored... _something_ in there. Like a lot of files or programs being saved onto a hard drive. Eighty-five percent of that storage space was being used for essential parts to allow the system to run properly. Leaving the last fifteen percent dedicated to miscellaneous things; like documents, pictures, and other personal things.

Depending on how much space those miscellaneous files took up, eventually it would reach maximum capacity. One thing she took issue with was that, typically speaking, those sorts of files did not exceed past the kilobyte threshold. True that the same could not always be said about pictures and videos; some files were bigger than others. However, none of those things stood remotely close to the amount memory needed for a program. True that the human brain and a computer were not exactly the same. But it was the closest analogy she could think up on the fly.

Based on that, and what little she knew, she came to her own conclusion after a few moments of mulling it over in her head.

"Well, I'm no neurologist, but memories shouldn't take up but so much room in a person's brain. Ordinarily fifteen percent should be more than enough for a person to live a relatively normal life."

"Exactly...problem is, she has a perfect memory." Retorted Kamijou, throwing in a factor that he had neglected to mention, much to Mugino's mild annoyance. "They said that she could only hold a year's worth of memories. If they didn't erase them, then her brain would burst. But...if that's true, and Index has a perfect memory-"

"Then she would've died at around...six or seven years old." Answered Shizuri, calculating the equation before the boy could even finish his line of thought. All that did was make her think, prompting her to glance back down at the boy still sitting by her feet. "Where'd you get those figures from anyway?"

Kamijou did not answer her, at least not immediately. It took him a few seconds before something clicked in his brain.

"...they were tricked."

"Huh?"

Whatever it was caused him to scurry his ass over to the black telephone sitting in the corner. This abrupt change in behavior admittedly surprised her, though luckily nobody else was there to see her jump.

"Who was tricked, the flamer and tits on legs?" It did not stop her cheeks from burning or stop her from questioning Kamijou while he rapidly started dialing. "And who exactly are you calling right now? Shouldn't you be, I dunno, doing something about this little problem here?"

"I am, but I need to run this memory thing by Komoe-sensei first to make sure." Touma's response sounded rushed, anxious even, as the minutes ticked by. "If we're right about this, then the church really did lie to Kanzaki about Index's condition. Ah! Sensei I...you sound happy. "

Well, that answered the unasked question of where Komoe had gone off to. She was half tempted to go over and listen in on what the small teacher had to say. Rather than intrude, however, she instead chose to take out her phone to check the time.

The digital clock told her 1:07 am.

Damn, she had slept _way_ too long.

Through the repeated snapping of her fingers, she managed to garner Touma's attention. From that she was able to relay to him, non-verbally, what time it was. All he responded with was a nod before putting his full attention to the phone. With nothing else to do but wait, Mugino opted to step out of the room and head towards the front door. Not to leave, she had already decided that she was not going anywhere earlier this afternoon. No, she wanted to know where the magicians were located outside. They were not near the window when she was looking through it earlier, so they must have been out front.

The faint smell of cigarette smoke wafting in through the door cracks was clue enough that her assumption was spot on. Quietly pressing her ear to the door, Mugino was able to make out the muffled sounds of conversation taking place as well. Much of what they were saying she could not make heads or tails of. Probably because they were not directly in front of or beside the door. Not that she intended to eavesdrop, she just wanted to know where they were. Phone still in her hand, she glanced down again at the digital display; 1:08 am.

If they barged in at exactly 1:10, then they only had two minutes left to act. Judging by how they were talking before they left, they still had to make preparations. How long that process would take them determined how much time they ultimately had left. They had given Touma ten minutes, but who was to say they would not bust this door down before his time was up?

"Son of a bitch!"

She had no reason or interest in helping the nun from the get-go. Hell, she resented the little shit since the day Touma was brought here. So then why was she suddenly getting so invested in this whole affair? Luckily for her, inquiries like those tended to answer themselves.

In her case, it came to her after had turned and headed back into the main room. Touma was no longer on the phone, apparently he had been given the answer he was looking for. His gaze locked on the feverish girl laying in silence, seemingly unaware that she had returned and was standing at the doorway. But this was not the same downcast look she had been an unwilling witness to. Before her 'reasons you currently suck' speech, he looked like part of him had died. Like he had finally crumbled beneath the weight of a tyrannical world where the rules were rigged against him.

Now...now he was smiling and looked more like his usual stubborn, idiotic, confident, and daring self. The same Kamijou Touma who could smile at an unfair world just because he could. He could smile at that world because he knew he could change it, in his own way, bit-by-bit. Fame, fortune, he did not care about those little things. Gains and losses were not important to him, they never were important in his eyes. So long as everyone was safe, as long he could help, then he was content. For as long as Mugino had known him, that was just how he had always been.

If someone needed help then he would help them. If he could save someone, he would do all that he could to save them. Even for someone like her who, to this day, still secretly believed she did not deserve it. To Touma, none of those things mattered or were of any real significance. He did not need to weigh a person's virtues against their sins to decide if they're worth being saved.

He just... _did it_.

Because that was who he was, through and through.

Shamefully, she had forgotten what had placed him at the center of her world. Somewhere, at some point, Mugino had misplaced that critically important detail. It was the characteristic that infuriated her the most yet was also his most defining and endearing trait. He did not put more or less effort into saving Index than he had with her. He gave everyone his best and he would try a thousand times if it meant he could succeed once. Because that one success, that 0.1% chance, was enough to make it worth striving for. Nothing she said or did would change that and that degree of integrity was a rare thing to come across.

"I don't just think I'm a hero."

Mugino watched on in silence as he began to unravel the bandages around his right hand. Unscrambling the layers of thoroughly wrapped cloth as if it was a seal to some great power. In a way it was, for beneath those wrappings lay the hand that could break the crooked rules set by God. Throughout this, Mugino's warm eyes watched on as her arms folded and her left side leaned against the doorframe.

This was the Touma she had missed so dearly.

"I will _be_ the hero."

An ungraceful snort accidently escaped from her at those words. Nonetheless a small smile, mixed with amusement and fondness, continued to adorn her lips. Idiot was too much of a jackass to realize what she had known all along.

Kamijou Touma did not need to _become_ a hero.

As he had never stopped _being_ a hero in the eyes of Mugino Shizuri.

* * *

 **A Hero's Reward**

* * *

In hindsight, Touma should have known better.

This Kamijou should have known that this would not be a painless endeavor.

Knowledge of that sort should not have come as a surprise to him. Fortune and misfortune had a habit of traversing hand-in-hand. For every good thing to come his way, something of the negative variety also came in its wake. Like a law of the universe, a deeply embedded code in a program that was linked to every critical function. There was no deleting it, no method of bypassing it, you simply had to tolerate and eventually overcome it. Such was his belief anyway, albeit that did not stop him from complaining about it every chance he could.

Often at times wishing that, for just one time, things would go smoothly.

But, as the saying goes, hindsight is always twenty-twenty.

Even so, would that awareness have changed anything? Would things have happened differently? The answer to that question was a resounding 'no', it would not have made any difference. It would not have changed where the church had placed the 'collar' to keep Index in check. Nor would it have altered the fact that he had to essentially shove his hand into her mouth to reach that mark. Although, he could have very well done without hearing the rather inappropriate side-line remark from Shizuri. The point was, no amount of awareness or foresight would have made him act any differently.

Not the magical defenses used to protect the integrity of the being containing 103,000 Grimorires.

Not the abrupt display of force that hurled himself and Shizuri away from said being.

Not even the blinding radiance of this pillar of light he was currently struggling against.

Had he known of any of these things, he would have gladly proceeded anyway. Despite the dangers, in spite of what common sense would dictate, Touma would carry on with it anyhow. There was no misplaced thought, there would be no alternative solution beyond this choice. Erasing Index's memories _was not_ a solution, it was a sham that he was able to expose. What he had, and only he had, was the true solution that could create an ending where everyone was smiling and happy. That which was commonly considered a bane on his life had become the deliverer of a single girl's salvation.

For him, that was reason enough to stand against any adversity he had to face.

Delivering on that salvation, however, was proving to be difficult.

Imagine Breaker, in all the good it could do, was struggling to keep that blinding light at bay. No matter how special his right hand was, what laid beyond his right wrist was an average, simple, plain, and pitifully normal boy. Against something of this magnitude, a power as great as this, he was painfully aware of his shortcomings. There was no getting around that, he knew his limits, or had a vague idea of where those boundaries were. Some measure of fortune was granted to him when Stiyl and Kanzaki had finally returned. He did not look back at them out of fear of losing focus on the task at hand.

What he did do was give them the distasteful truth about the church. All they had to do was accept that glaring fact that was literally right in front of them. Index could not use the magic, yet here she was obviously using it. There was no stronger evidence that Touma could provide them to prove that.

"...Fortis931."

Which is why he silently grateful when he heard Stiyl's voice utter his Magic name.

Which is why he was far from unhappy in seeing those familiar cards filling up every space of the room.

Which is why he was glad to feel a person's hand resting against his back.

"I don't need any vague possibilities. As long as I can erase her memories, I can save her life for now. I will kill anyone and destroy anything to accomplish that. That is what I decided long ago."

Grave as the situation was, Touma knew that the red-haired magician was not doing this for him. Stiyl's contribution was not for his sake, but for the sake of that girl. He understood that, he could only imagine how much and how long he and Kanzaki had to endure. A fruitless effort honestly, he could never hope to understand the full depth of misery these two had to suffer through. Had he been forced to be completely honest, he did not want to. All the same, he was grateful for the support; large or small. Gratitude notwithstanding, Kamijou did not remain there listening idly to that sort of nonsense.

"Fuck that, this isn't going to be a temporary fix! We're derailing off this bad route we're on permanently! And I don't care about your reasons! I don't need to hear your dumb logic! All I need to hear is an answer: Do you want to save Index or not!?"

Shizuri's colorful vocabulary and mannerisms really were starting to rub off on him.

"This is what you wanted all along, isn't it!? Isn't this what you've been waiting for since the start!? An outcome where no one needed to suffer anymore!? A solution where you didn't need to erase her memories or be her enemy!?"

The duel between an unstoppable force and an unyielding obstacle continued as these words erupted from his mouth.

"Well then here's your chance! Don't despair and wait for the hero to show up, _be the heroes of your own damn story!_ Be the heroes who come in and save the girl you swore to save with your own hands! Nobody is gonna do it for you because there _isn't_ anyone else who can! If you want to reach that ending where everyone is smiling and happy, then reach for it yourselves!"

A nail on his finger cracked and blood began to drain down his rapidly waning wrist.

" _Just stretch your hand out_ and _grab it already,_ _you damn magicians!_ "

Eventually, the clash between the unstoppable and the unyielding reached its conclusion. Touma did not even have time to cry out in pain as his right pinky bent at an unnatural angle. Imagine Breaker may not yield, but the human body would upon reaching a certain threshold. As if it had a mind of its own, that destructive light capitalized on that and repelled his hand, leaving him exposed.

"Salvare000!"

By the time he had blinked, that same light had moved skyward; tearing apart the walls and ceiling like wet paper. No, wet paper still left something behind when it was torn apart. Here, there was nothing; no debris, no ashes, nothing remained and that was downright _terrifying_. Something did come falling though, feathers of equal radiance had began to gently float down from Komoe-sensei's newly installed skylight. A critical detail that Touma did not ignore but, all the same, did not place too much of his concern into.

"Do not let those touch you! I do not know what sort of power they have, but I'm certain your body will not be able to withstand it!"

Scratch that, now he was concerned!

With his vision no longer obscured by light, he could see what Kanzaki had done. Seeing the sliced tatami mats beneath Index's prone body told him all that he needed to know. One step was all it took before the collapsed girl's head turned, causing the column of light to slice through the night sky like a sword. This time there would be no stopping it with Imagine Breaker. His hand was a throbbing and bleeding mass of flesh at this point. Regardless of the pain, Kamijou clenched his jaw and prepared to raise that hand once more.

"Innocentius!"

For the second time that day, a person was putting themselves between him and that which could do him harm. One had been the girl that he wanted to protect who ended up protecting him instead. This one was a person composed of flame who's outstretched arms were shielding the individual it had once tried to incinerate. Lights of two different sources collided as Touma was left standing there in awe. Watching as the being born from flames stood its ground; creating a cycle of destruction and restoration.

The irony of it all was not lost on him.

"Don't waste a second!" Stiyl's urgent shout somehow bypassed the roaring apparition of flame. "The deadline has passed! If you want to do this, then go now!"

There was no hesitation in his heart.

No fear in his mind as he pushed himself forward.

Only the desire to reach her resounded within his heart and mind.

Thus, he heeded the man's words and ran.

"Warning: Chapter 6, Verse 13. New enemy confirmed. Changing combat considerations. Beginning scan of the battlefield...done. Focusing on the destruction of the most difficult enemy, Kamijou Touma."

That drone-like voice was as piercing to his ears as her gaze had been to his body. As he tried to circle around fire incarnate Index's eyes followed along with that overbearing light. However, in this moment, Touma bore witness to another case of irony as it unfolded before his very eyes. Wherever the light went, so did that monstrous construct of flame; shielding him from the attack and perpetuating that pre-established cycle. It was funny that the man who had treated him the harshest had turned out to be his most gallant protector. It was through that magician's efforts that he was able to bridge the gap between him and his objective.

Index, who was still prone, was only a short ways away from him. Less than eight meters and he would no longer need to see those piercing eyes of her anymore. Seven meters more and he would hopefully never have to hear that robotic drawl come out of her mouth ever again.

Kamijou truly hated everything he was seeing and hearing right now.

No, that was not entirely true; at least not on the physical level. It was not the person to whom they belonged to that he had come to hate. Rather it was what those things represented that he had come to detest. Control, all of this came down to controlling someone with access to outstanding power. It was not just Index either, Stiyl and Kanzaki as well were caught in that web spun by the church. Deliberately lying to their subordinates for who knows how long as a means to garner their unwavering loyalty. These magicians were both were powerful people; of that there was no denying. They cared deeply for Index, a factor that the church had also known and exploited.

They turned her into their shackle, much like how they had used him to be hers. They used her to bind them to their organization so they could make use of their talents..

After all, what better way was there to ensure their loyalty?

In five more meters, the exploitation of these people would stop.

Adding further to the cruelty of it all, the church made those two responsible for the removal of her memories. On one hand they may have chosen to carry out that role for themselves. Not necessarily by force, as they did chose it for themselves willingly. On the other hand 'want' and 'choose' remained to be two poles apart. Obviously they did not _want_ to do it, being her enemy was the last thing they wanted, yet they decided to do it anyway. At least being Index's 'enemy' ensured that she would remain mostly out of harm's way. Hardly an ideal situation for them, but what choice did they have in the matter?

Just recalling that sort of knowledge caused anger to rise in his heart.

Three more meters left and this would all come to an end.

Touma would not have to stand there and watch Index's silent suffering anymore. Stiyl and Kanzaki would not have to suffer along with her from guilt of having failed her. Everyone involved in this was a victim of a cruel and heartless system conceived by the church. Any system that made a solution out of other people's misery was not holy or just. If those in authority truly believed otherwise, well they surely would have to answer to someone someday. Regardless of how long that took, Kamijou truly wanted to believe that those responsible would be judged accordingly. Because there was no spin on this that justified all the pain and despair that it caused.

Touma did not know how Index's organization functioned by any means. What he did know was that the authority figures at the very top needed a good kick in the ass. That or have the righteous fear of God get re-embedded into their fat heads and sinful hearts.

One more meter...just one more!

"Above you!"

Kanzaki's warnings gave rise to caution as his eyes took in the sight above. Feathers, dozens of them, all made of that brilliant light and birthed from the same attack that obliterated the ceiling. Were there that many when he originally took note of them? Hard to say, he was not necessarily keeping count at the time. Since then they had descended upon the room like falling snow and were within reach of his head. His concern with them was still there, Kanzaki's earlier warning had not been forgotten. Hell, he could just start flailing his busted and bleeding hand to eliminate the threat that those feathers of light posed to him.

"Warning: Chapter 22, Verse 1. Analysis of the flame magic spell has succeeded. It is confirmed to be a distorted Christian motif described with runes. Adding in anti-Christian spells...Spell 1, Spell 2, Spell 3. Twelve seconds until the complete activation of the spell named Eli Eli Lema Sabachthani."

Time, however, was not in his favor and doing so would be counterproductive. Stiyl's spell would not be able to protect him forever, as shown when the white light of Dragon's Breath turned crimson. He would not be given a second chance to get this close to her again. There would be no do-overs if he missed this prime opportunity to act. Touma knew that, Stiyl undoubtedly knew that, and Kanzaki knew that too. All of their hopes towards reaching that good ending were riding on his willingness to extend his hand towards this girl.

"Dammit, if all you're gonna do is stand there, then leave bitch!" Which is what made that outcry stand out as another light flooded the room with color. "I'm still kicking your ass later! For now though, just shut up and get hell out of my way!"

The green lights were vastly overshadowed by the formerly oppressive white column of light. Yet, despite that, it still graced his vision by a small amount. Shortly thereafter, Kamijou felt a scorching heat over his head as something shot over it. Not once either, he felt it pass him several times as he continued pressing forward without looking up. Curiosity was not an issue because he knew what it was as well as who was doing it. There was also no confirming whether it was safe to move or not and he did not care.

There was a great comfort to be had in knowing Shizuri as well as he did. Hence why he could put all his focus on the task at hand with a lesser degree of concern. He could afford that luxury because he knew just how impeccable her aim was. But she was not doing this for Index's sake, at least he did not think so. Shizuri was acting on pure selfishness, much like Stiyl was. It was because Touma stood at the heart of this that the Meltdowner had answered the call to action. He was her reason to act, again like how Index was to Stiyl. Like the aforementioned magician, Shizuri acted purely for the sake of protecting him above all else.

Words could not express how thankful he was for that support.

Kamijou would definitely need to prostrate to her later for his stupidity three days ago.

He just had one important thing left to do here before he could do that.

Driven by that thought, among the plethora of others, was what allowed him to take that last step forward. He did not know if this was all part of God's plan. Touma never fancied himself as someone to question a higher power's grand scheme or the purpose he had in it. Perhaps his purpose was much greater than himself or perhaps not. However, Kamijou did not have any interest in understanding God or his long-term intentions. Not before and most certainly not now. If this girl's suffering was all part of his plan then he did not want to know. There was no point in him knowing since Touma's intention was not to understand the Almighty's divine rules.

Because Kamijou Touma was going to go against those rules set by God.

Just like the seal that shackled Index's fate to the path of despair.

He was going to break that fucked up illusion!

Five fingers spread wide as his mangled, bleeding, and broken hand finally swung downwards. Down onto the magic circles in front of Index's face, tearing them apart in an instant. Those cruel circles, the seal that put these people through so much pain, were finally erased. More words were spoken by the girl, yet oddly enough he could not hear them. Well, he could, but he was not paying them much mind. Same could be said about the pillar of light as it faded away into nothingness alongside the fire apparition. With the ceiling gone and the clouds dispersed, the gentle glow of the moon above painted a unique and tranquil scene.

Index, sound asleep, remained below him on the ruined tatami mats. Touma himself was still standing above her, blood still dribbling down from his hand forming a puddle at his feet. A rhythmic thumping pounded into his ears, but he did not care. Too captivated by the peacefully slumbering nun who he had sworn to save. Who they all managed to save, even if they did not realize it for themselves just yet. Elation did not even come close to describing the feeling that had settled at the center of his chest. Was it relief, contentment, serenity, all of these things? These wide ranging emotions were beyond his ability to sort out at this given moment.

A shout was heard off to the side, but he did not hear it.

A green glow filled the darkened room, but he did not see it.

All he could do was smile as his eyelids grew heavier and the world around him grew darker. Even at that moment, the only thing that came to mind was the image of that girl sleeping soundly and peacefully under the moonlight. He had done it, he had saved that girl from her silent suffering. She would no longer have that stained smile on her face. No longer would her memories have to be erased. She could finally have the chance to live the life she was supposed to have lived from the start. Free to make new memories, lots of memories, for years to come without sacrificing her old ones.

And for him that was enough.

...Yeah...

That sounded like a hero's reward.

* * *

 **An Oath Worth Swearing**

* * *

"I hope you understand that there is nothing personal about this."

Within a certain patient's room sat a particularly difficult individual. Someone whom, most folk, would not commonly or brazenly approach without some reservations. A young woman who's cranium was adorned with bandages wrapped around the crown of her head. Around her right wrist was a splint as part of the treatment for the fracture present there. A consequence born from exerting a greater power output than she icould handle. The ability known as Meltdowner had the potential for outstanding destructive capabilities. What served as a hindrance to that was how the body could not withstand the 'recoil' generated from that massive output.

Hence the fractured wrist.

Best guess, from a medical standpoint, was that the head injury had caused her to miscalculate.

None of that was too terribly important in regards to this particular discussion.

"However, my obligations require this of me, so must apologize in advance." This particular remark was accompanied with a weary sigh. "A lot of the staff have informed me that you have been threatening them. They also tell me that you are refusing to cooperate in regards to your treatment. Furthermore, many of them feel as though your presence here is impeding on their duties. With good reason, I might add, considering the list of obscenities you've been throwing at them."

Mugino Shizuri did not budge.

She did not speak, she did not move, she did not do anything. Instead she sat in silence, her hand resting atop of the heavily bandaged right hand of the boy sleeping soundly in front of her. Her back was to the door, therefore making it easy to ignore those who entered. It also made it difficult to gauge her emotions since no one could see her face. Doubtful that this choice of seating arrangement was simple case of coincidence. She chose that place on purpose; although it probably was not meant to be for a malicious or threatening one.

Which is why he was able to casually scan the contents on the clipboard he was holding without concern.

"The damage was not extensive, but you are still suffering from a mild concussion." Reading off the diagnosis, his weary gaze shifted back onto the girl only to then turn towards the boy. "He shouldn't be waking up any time soon either. Clearly whatever had caused this had placed quite a bit of strain on his body. He'll be here when you wake up tomorrow so I insist that you let yourself-"

"I'm not leaving him again."

A curt response that was accompanied by a scowl.

Said response succeeded in gartered his attention, but nothing else emerged beyond that.

Excluding, of course, a raised eyebrow.

"Was I implying that I wanted you to leave?"

"Sure as shit sounded like it." Just as quickly as she leveled him with that hard look, it was gone. Though her attention snapped back towards the bed, it did not mean she was finished talking. "I'll tell you what I told everyone else: if you want me to leave then you'll have to make me. If you don't have the balls to do that, then you might as well fuck off. I'm staying, so stop wasting your breath and go wipe the shit off of someone else's ass."

Once, twice, he counted three times he had blinked upon hearing that before clearing his throat.

...what a charming young lady this girl was...

"Truth be told, it wasn't my intention to make you leave." The genuine response he provided did not succeed in grabbing her attention even as he stepped closer towards her person. "I'm simply here to gain an understanding of the circumstances behind your obstinacy and open hostility. Safe to say I found my answer and I would kindly ask that you refrain from that sort of behavior. In return, as long as you promise to behave, you will not be bothered or asked to leave. Unless, of course, the wellbeing of patient demands that you not be present. Fortunately, at this time, it seems unlikely that it will come to that."

For a moment, his eyes caught the girl's undamaged hand tensing slightly over the heavily bandaged appendage it was resting on. Much like her glare, her hand relaxed quite quickly as her thumb tenderly brushed along the boy's knuckles. Observations like these tended to tell more honest tales than any words ever could. Regardless, he opted not to comment on it given the sensitivity of the subject matter.

"Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that you are still my patient." Instead he went back to reviewing the information on the clipboard still on hand. "As one of my patients, I cannot condone the foregoing of proper procedures regarding your recovery. It's counterintuitive to being in a hospital, which is why I advise that you get some rest. While I would prefer you sleep in a proper bed, the sofa here will suffice if need be. I can even bring in some extra pillows and a blanket for-"

"Waste your time if you want to, but I'm not gonna use them."

This time he sighed audibly, though it was not born purely out of frustration. Exasperation was there, that he was not about to deny. What was also there, however, was something that Mugino could not hear. Fine by him, in all honesty, because he promptly tucked the clipboard beneath his arm. His feet shuffled along the floor as he made his way over towards the window to the left of the boy's bed. An ideal place where Mugino could clearly see him without having to invade her personal bubble.

"I can understand that the term 'visiting hours' does not apply to you." He began as he watched the morning sun cast away the darkness of night. From there, his hands slipped into the confines of his coat pockets before continuing. "I also understand what it means to live for someone else's sake. To give up oneself fully and completely to the point that nothing else in the world matters. I've seen it a lot over the years, to the point that it's not a rare sight for me to come across. Far too many people, both older and younger than yourself, stepped into the darkness for reasons like that. Most of them don't have the luxury of coming back once they do."

By now he knew he had her complete and undivided attention. Although he was speaking to her, his gaze did not go searching to meet with hers. It had remained focused on the world beyond the glass he was peering out of. Whether or not she was glaring at his back mattered little to him. Getting her attention was enough regardless of if she was looking at him in a good or bad way.

"Someone of my experience has seen it enough times to know the difference. Right now you might be thinking that I don't know anything and, by all accounts, you would be correct. I don't know the circumstances behind your situation and I do not intent to delve into those specifics. For better or worse, I will respect the privacy and the requests of my patients above all else. In the same vein, if it is for the benefit of my patients, I will apply all measure that are required of me. Even if that means I must sit here and personally scold a Level 5, such as yourself, about why sleep deprivation is ill-advised."

One thing doctors and nurses seem to forget is that these children are people. Espers were as human as anyone else that was brought into the emergency room on a stretcher. Level 5's suffer from grief, dread, and resentment the same way a Level 0 would. Power meant nothing to the sick and wounded whereas treatment most certainly did. Which is why it was important to remember that these were human beings and not monsters. Some may claim to be such, many may very well be such in their own minds. Making it his responsibility to remind them that, for all their power, they were still people who deserved to be treated with compassion.

"But I suppose it's a futile effort to convince you to do otherwise." And just like that, the topic in question was discarded as he turned back around. Unsurprisingly, he found that Mugino was glaring at him; which was fair enough. "That being said, I'll come back with the blanket and pillows later in case you change your mind. If you need anything, the nurse call button is right there. All I ask is that you put an effort into being polite to them. Otherwise, you're free to carry on with your business."

"Hold it you quack." Barely two steps were made before she abruptly spoke up. "You may be satisfied with that little lecture, but I'm not. By all accounts you shouldn't know a damn thing about anything you just said. That leads me to think you're more than just some toad-faced doctor. So who hell do you work for? Who's spying on me and who in the fuck are you?"

Ah, he should have seen that coming.

He did not blame her for being so distrustful of him. That was to be expected considering how often that world tricked the youth by wearing the guise of empathy. The darkness of Academy City may turn these youth into monsters. It may have made them into cruel, calculating beasts of driven by bloodlust and greed. Yet, at the end of the day, they were still just children. Children that have been manipulated, exploited, and led astray by the selfish desires of a city governed by adults.

Which is why he treated them as human beings worthy of sympathy, warmth, and indulgence.

"To be honest, I'm not sure who would be spying on you, Mugino-san. As for me, I'm just an old doctor who's seen more darkness than he cares to admit." No statement could better encompass the authentic nature of those words. "A doctor who's calling is to cure the sick and to heal the wounded. No matter what side of this city they live in, if they are brought to me alive then I'll save them."

Mugino Shizuri did not seem to have anything further to add there. A flicker passed through her eyes but he himself did not know what that meant. Regardless, she did not appear to be interested in him any longer. To which he took as his cue to go ahead and excuse himself. Just as he was about to reach the door, however, something caught his ear. A soft groan had emerged from the center of the room. One belonging to a certain boy much to the surprise of both parties present. One of them was much quicker to recover from this shock than the other. That person being Mugino, who's soft voice spoke at a volume lower than a whisper and barely registering in his ears.

...how odd.

Kamijou should have been under enough sedatives to keep him asleep for a couple more hours.

It was possible that the initial dosage was not strong enough.

His assumption was proven to be accurate since the boy's eyelids gradually began to crack open. Drawing closer to them did not allow him to hear the Meltdowner's hushed voice any better. From the instant she heard him groan, she had scooted herself as close to the bed as she could. So close that he thought she was about to crush her legs between the bed frame and the chair. As for Kamijou, his eyes were unfocused, glazed over as if he were gazing off into the distance as his mind wandered. Those pools of blue shifted in every direction; eventually settling on the girl to his right speaking to him softly.

His bandaged hand twitched, prompting the girl to gently take it within her own. Lips parted as words tried to leave him, yet his voice had grown dry and hoarse. Neither he nor Mugino could make out what Touma had wanted to say. Between the two of them, however, Mugino once again took the initiative and acted accordingly to rectify that issue. So it was no surprise to see her forego the chair entirely to stand up and bring her head close enough so as to better hear him. Because of this, Kamijou was able to speak at a lower volume and thus making it possible to convey his message. Problem was it made it virtually impossible for anyone besides the #4 to hear him.

Much to his dismay, this doctor was not skilled at reading lips.

Regardless, he continued to observe even though he was unable to hear what was being said.

It was after Touma's lips stopped moving that made him wish he could. For it was in that instant that he saw the her eyes widen in disbelief. Such is how it remained as she stared back at him, mouth agape as something inside her began to break. In that same instance that he found himself to be sole witness to this occurrence. Watching as a silent spectator as Meltdowner's eyes grew misty and her shoulders began to shudder. She had even bitten down on her bottom lip as it too started to tremble. Clearly something within her wanted to escape that she was adamantly trying to suppress.

Her efforts were not baring fruit though, cause a soft inaudible noise managed to escape. Sadly gauging her expression became impossible once her forehead came to rest on the boy's collar. Both arms came to wrap themselves around his neck shortly thereafter. If that was not enough to block out her face then it was her hair that applied the final touches. Her long soft-tea tresses cascaded around her face like a curtain, blocking all outside sources from view. Throughout this, Kamijou could do nothing but look down at the back of her skull; his face etched with uncertainty.

What exactly did Kamijou say?

Heaven Canceller, for all his wisdom, did not have an answer.

And perhaps...yes, perhaps it was better for that question to remain unanswered.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

Okay, so yeah, last chapter happened. The feedback I got from that made it abundantly clear that I was falling off. So I looked back at my earlier chapters to see where it started. It was something I was looking into before I posted Trial. Sorta wished I took more time on it but I was sick of being stuck so I stopped caring. For that I must apologize because I honestly feel like I let quite a few of you guys down with that one. But I refuse to go back and change it. Not due to laziness but for the sake of having a visual reminder of what not to do with future installments of Love Life.

You guys deserve better and I sincerely thank everyone for giving me their honest opinions and feedback on the matter.

No snark or sarcasm; just straight up appreciation for calling me out.

That being said, you'll note that this chapter is far from humorous. The tone of this is far from lighthearted, but please don't be discouraged by it. This is not how all of my chapters are going to be from this point forward. There's quite a bit of exposition here that was needed to shed some light on a few things. For instance, it's the only point in time that I see myself exploring the thoughts of some of these characters; i.e. Komoe. So if my author's biased shines in certain areas, then that's the reason. I just wanted to exploit the opportunity as it presented itself to me; that's all.

So I urge you to not immediately peg this as one massive exposition dump. Think on what you read and you may find a few hints of future plot points that I have sprinkled in throughout it.

I also wanted to play around with the perspectives to freshen up the narrative a bit. It helps in keeping me from dipping into my habits too much. That's still gonna be there in chapters to come, only now it's gonna be toned down. Also, know that if this was not such a monster of a chapter, it would have been brought out much sooner. But I felt that dividing this into two parts would have ruined it. I could be wrong, but I felt satisfied with the end results.

I guess I'll have to wait and see what you guys' response is.

Above all, this is meant to be an apology for my last update. You likely won't see something like this again anytime soon for the future canon arcs. That being said, I hope that you lot enjoyed the extra long chapter this time around. Last, and most importantly of all, shout-out to _**FrodoFighter**_ for taking the time to beta this monster. It's hard to find good help these days and I appreciate his willingness to tackle this titan along with me. It was a big help and I can't thank the guy enough for his efforts.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	11. Past Appointment: June 7th

Greetings to all!

Hope I haven't kept you waiting too long.

In the (unlikely) event that the ambiguity of Chapter 10's conclusion was keeping you awake at night...prepared to miss out on more sleep.

* * *

"You've stepped out of line Aogami!"

"Say what you want Tsuchimikado but we both know it's true; just admit it!"

Oh the glories that came from an ordinary high-school life.

Lunch was in session and, as was common, most folk had split off to enjoy the free time with friends. Touma himself was no different, though in his case it was more like his friends had come to hover around him. Not that he paid the matter any further thought as this was part of the norm for them. As far as food was concerned, he was fortunate enough to not have to pay the canteen a visit. Having the opportunity to prepare his lunch last night did him wonders in conserving his funds for more important things. Aogami and Motoharu appeared to have also been blessed with that foresight since they wasted no time in coming over once the bell rang.

"There is no spin on this that ends with me agreeing with you nya! I'm honestly appalled that you could make such an outrageous insinuation!"

"It's your own biased opinion that's keeping you from accepting the truth! And don't start talking all proper to try and make yourself out to be some sort of saint!"

Why did their yelling have to be louder than the school bell?

Difficult as it was to ignore, Kamijou somehow managed. Call it experience from having to deal with, and participate in, their bouts of idiocy. One could go as far as calling it an acquired skill. Even when they were at his desk arguing very loudly about a subject he was only halfheartedly listening to. For this one time, Kamijou actually was not interested and was more focused on his lunch. It was not their discussion that served to be the biggest bother to him. Rather it was the multitude of stares they were getting from the other side of the classroom by other students; both male and female alike.

Despite having no apparent involvement in the discussion, he would still be guilty by association once things escalated; and it would.

These were the woes of being the only sensible member of the Delta Force.

Such was his luck.

"Nya, head-patting is not a biased opinion; it's a straight fact of life! Everyone knows that head-pats are the most innocent gesture one can provide!

"And I say you're full of crap!" Touma jumped slightly as his blue haired friend slammed his fist down onto the desk like a gavel. Okay, being passionate was fine and all, but could he do it on someone else's desk? "Hand-holding is far more innocent and impactful compared to tapping your dirty hands on a girl's head!"

"Nya, you degenerate scum!" Now it was Motoharu's turn hit the desk; though in his case he brought both palms down instead of his fist. "I'm amazed that you can bring yourself to say that with a straight face! Head-pats are much more impactful than forcing someone to hold one your sweaty palms!"

Give or take a few more minutes and insults would not be the only thing being thrown. Fists, kicks, desks, chairs, if he could name it then it would likely be thrown sometime soon. Which is why Touma was making a point to stay out of it. On that note, he was mildly surprised by how well things were turning out for him thus far. The violent treatment of his poor desk had not resulted in his lunch spilling over onto the floor. Then again, Kamijou had not ruled out the possibility of an unfavorable outcome just yet. Heck, he was half expecting the desk itself to collapse on itself somehow any second now. Cruel as it sounded to be left without a desk or lunch for the remainder of the day.

Again, such would be his luck.

"You can't 'savor' a head-pat as well as you could joining hands. The lingering warmth that stays on your palm afterwards. The soft textures of the girl's hand on yours with the gentle pressure of her fingers squeezing against your own. You can't experience the sort of harmony or connection that comes from the simple act of maintained physical contact."

With an immense amount of effort, Kamijou had managed to resist the urge to nod his head in agreement.

"But it's not about 'savoring', it's about 'giving' nya. Physical connection isn't as important compared to the message the act itself is meant to represent. The simple nature of it can convey many things; like appreciation, acceptance, and assurance. It might look simple, but there can be a whole lot more going on there than most people realize."

Staying neutral, the unlucky boy's resolve remained steadfast as his head refused to move an inch.

"On top of that, head-pats are just as satisfying to give. Especially when it's to a younger sibling; like a wonderful and lovely maid in training."

"So that's where your head was at all along you filthy bastard!"

Like clockwork, the situation escalated into violence as it so often did. Only this time Touma was not mixed up in the whole affair, having still been preoccupied with eating. Fortune continued to smile on him since the minor scuffle had ultimately veered away from his desk. This gave him some relative peace while the rest of the class simply watched events play out with mixed feelings. From what he could see, some were watching on amused while others opted to ignore it. Fukiyose was not here right now, having gone to the canteen, so this would likely continue until she got back.

It was here that he hoped the girl would leave him be since he clearly was not taking part in it. Then again, with how things were playing out so far, he doubted it. Call it a gut feeling, but somehow he would also be lumped in with those two. The faint vibrations coming from his pocket served to catch Kamijou's attention immediately. Pausing mid-bite, he fished out his phone while completely ignoring the brawl between two of the three idiots. One text message awaited him in his in-box, courtesy of Mugino Shizuri. Typically his girlfriend did not message him at school unless it was important by some margin or another.

Reading over the message, he came understand her reasons.

"Gonna be busy tomorrow, huh?" Muttered the boy, slouching a bit into his chair as his thumb tapped on the keys. "I wonder what came up?"

Evidently something had thrown a wrench into her plans to meet up with him tomorrow. No specifics were given what it was, just that something would be taking up her time on Saturday. This took away their original date night they had planned. Not that he was overly concerned since their plans were hardly sophisticated in nature. In summary, she was being informative as well as asking for his availability tonight. Since he did not have anything planned later on anyway, he saw no issue with it.

This did not stop him from wondering precisely what she would be doing tomorrow. If nothing else it was something worth asking her about later on tonight when they met up.

"Nya, Kami-yan's growing distant from us now that he's got himself a girlfriend, huh Aogami?"

"Eh?"

Confusion had settled into his heart the moment he felt Motoharu's forearm rest on his shoulder.

"Mhm, it sure looks that way. It's like he doesn't have time for us anymore now that Shizuri-chan has him on a leash."

That bewilderment was quick to change into irritation as Aogami took to leaning over his desk.

"...I feel like I'm caught up in the buildup of some cliché bullying scene." His muttered musings came with a sigh as his half-lidded eyes stared blankly out into space. "What's next? You two gonna harass me with questions to try and embarrass me?"

"Nya, you're texting Mugi-chan right now, right?" Asked the sunglasses wearing blonde abruptly, not caring a bit about personal space as he leaned closer. "You should ask her which she likes more. Who knows, it might be useful later on down the road."

"Like I need relationship advice from you of all people."

"Hmn, an unbiased opinion of girl would definitely settle this issue." Pensively added Aogami, one hand raising to tap at his chin before nodding to himself. "Yeah, go ahead and ask her if hand-holding is better than head-pats Kami-yan."

"Like hell I'm gonna ask her something like that out of the blue!"

For one thing, he already had an idea as to how she would respond to that sort of message. Negatively with a side of bafflement and concluding with indifference. Secondly, he did not feel too inclined to ask her purposely dumb questions like these. The shenanigans between him and the rest of the Delta Force were exclusive to them. Dragging other people into their escapades tended to go over as swimmingly as one could expect it to.

In other words not so well and it usually ended with someone dishing out punishment. Namely Fukiyose Seiri, who was usually the one putting a stop to their antics once they reached a certain point. Sometimes Komoe-sensei or some other teacher would take action instead; but most times it was Fukiyose.

Regardless, as much as he doubted Mugino would take it too badly, Kamijou preferred to keep her out of this. She did not need to the deal with the headache that came from dealing with his friends. Doubly so over something so pointless and ridiculous as this debate was concerned. Such a ridiculous question was not worth asking out of nowhere. On that note, he personally, he was inclined to say that neither of the two options presented were better than the other. Had he any interest in debating it, he would have argued that lap pillows were better than both options.

Of course he had already resolved to stay out of this discussion; giving him no reason to voice his opinion on the matter. In all likelihood his views would have been met with heavy opposition anyway. The predictable outcome that would surely follow was not worth dealing with right now. Therefore, Kamijou reasoned it was better to keep those beliefs to himself.

"Moh, come on Kami-yan, don't be so stingy!" Groaned Aogami dejectedly while somehow maintaining his chirpy demeanor. "You could just tell her it's for research or something. What's the worst that can happen from asking a simple question?"

The deadpan stare, Kamijou leveled at his friend following that query conveyed more than what words ever could. The blue haired teen must have realized it too as his body deflated a bit and his cheery expression dimmed. A lesson one could learn from this hapless Kamijou was to never ask what was the worst that could happen. Chances were high that whatever you can imagine would not come close to what may actually play out. He had a plethora of experience in this field as the resident misfortune magnet. Nobody would dare say that statement was an empty boast either.

Not that the repeated blows to this Kamijou's dignity were worth boasting about.

In all actuality, it only made him want to cry.

"Nya, guess that means we'll have to ask her ourselves."

"Try it and I'll knock you flat on your ass Tsuchimikado." His vision blurred before settling on Motoharu's cheshire grinning mug as the grip on his phone tightened. "Stop giving me that look, I mean it! I mean it when I say I'll knock the crap out of you!"

"You know, Kami-yan, it's against the rules to have your phone out during school hours."

"Don't try to pull the class representative card Aogami! That's abuse of power and you know it!"

"Nya, sorry Kami-yan, but rules are rules." A ray of light reflected off the boy's shades as this ominous statement was made. "Class representative, confiscate the phone!"

"Way ahead of you!"

"O-oi get away from me you bastards!"

In a matter of seconds, the duo had descended upon him like vultures on a carcass.

Their grabby hands picked at and tugged on his own in an attempt to pry the device from his grasp. Kamijou, in his efforts to keep it from them, held it close to his chest like it was a priceless jewel. Of course he was far from helpless, he fought back as best he could when he could. But considering it was two against one, he was already at a disadvantage. Which is why he chose to go with the alternative method of running away. Alas this changed nothing since the boys remained persistent in their efforts to steal his property.

They also made a point to block the path to the exit any time he moved towards it; trapping him here in the classroom.

This little game of cat and mouse persisted for the better part of five minutes or so. Other students were wise enough to stay out of their way, but did nothing in particular to help him. Majority had taken to watching as the events played out while the minority flat out ignored it. Such cruelty was almost permissible considering how often events usually ended in this Kamijou's expense. Almost being the key word as, in his heart, he was screaming at his lack of proper aid. Those internal screams intensified once Motoharu had successfully managed to tackle him at the waist; forcing him to the dirty floor.

To his greater misfortune, the tackle succeeded in loosening his grip on the phone, causing it to clatter to the ground just a few inches from where he fell. From there, all it took was for Aogami to swoop in and scoop the device up from right in front of him. Adrenaline acting as his fuel, his hand reached out and grabbed the blue haired teen's leg before he could scamper off. This resulted in all three of them now lying on the floor and the device to once go skidding along just out of the boy's reach.

It was all an uphill battle from there as Motoharu pulled at his waist while he was busy pulling at Aogami's pants leg to keep him from crawling forward.

"Quit being difficult and give us the damn phone nya!"

"In your dreams you damn sis-con!"

"Sorry Kami-yan, but we must know; just accept it already and stop resisting!"

"Screw you! Don't waste my girlfriend's time with you dumb ass questions!"

This was probably the most undignified bout of violence Kamijou had ever taken part of. Honestly, Aogami was the one being the most violent, having accidentally kicked him in the face once in an effort to loosen his grip. Something did become looser, but it was not the spiky-haired boy's grip. Sadly Tsuchimikado came to his friend's aid and literally climbed on top of his back, put his forearm at his neck, and pulled backwards. This forced Kamijou to let go, allowing Aogami to pull his pants back up and crawl forward unabated.

Oddly enough the pressure on his neck was gone before he himself could remove the blonde's arm himself. Kamijou realized why soon after when he was pinned to the floor. Courtesy of the foot planting itself on his back between his shoulder blades.

"Success! We've got it Tsuchimika- _herk!_ "

All thoughts of victory died in Aogami's throat as his voice croaked and his body was harshly jerked around. In a matter of seconds, his elation switched to fear before his chin was met with the knuckles on a fist. The solid uppercut served its purpose in sending him to the floor like a thrown sack of potatoes.

"Would you idiots give it a rest already and let people eat their lunch in peace?!" This proclamation was provided by none other than the Iron Wall Girl herself. "Honestly, I leave for a few minutes and you three go right back to doing this stupid crap."

"Um, Fukiyose-san?" Someone off to the side, a girl it sounded like and a brave one at that, chose to interject here. "I think those two were trying to steal Kamijou-kun phone."

Thank you for the support.

He would have liked that sort of help earlier but he would not look a gift horse in the mouth. To that end, Kamijou was tempted to express his thanks to the speaker with a thumbs up. Seeing as how getting the girl off of his back took priority, however, he did not do so. The task itself was not easy since Fukiyose was still putting all of her weight down on him at the moment. thankfully he could still move his head without too much hassle despite his upper body being pinned. Although, at the moment, he was not looking to garner any more of the girl's attention.

As far as things stood right now, he had not been removed from her shit-list just yet.

"His phone?" Seiri sounded baffled, which was understandable since she did not have any idea what started all of this. "What did they want with his phone?"

"You know, you're standing on the guy who would gladly explain everything to you." Grunting from his place on the floor, he turned his head to try and look up at her. "Before I do that though, could you please get off of-bgfhhh!"

The sacred treasure was exposed!

And they were pale pink in color!

 _Unexpected!_

"Don't look up you prick!"

At least she did not stomp down on his head like a grapefruit. Seiri had taken that into account before bringing her foot down on his face. It still hurt, it really hurt a lot, but he was not dead and at worst he would develop a bruise later. Regardless, even though he could see nothing but the sole of her shoe, that image did not leave his mind's eye. In fact he was certain that the sight he beheld was now burned into his retinas. Intentionally or not he still felt like a scumbag for that little peek beneath the veil. One thing he was certain about was that Mugino could never know about this.

Otherwise...well, he would rather not pursue that train of thought.

All in all, this had played out exactly like he thought it would.

Oh the glories that came from an ordinary high-school life.

* * *

Kamijou truly wished time had gone by quicker after that incident.

Tragically the more monotonous the task, the slower time seemed to go.

In this particular case, the pace in which time moved during school hours was practically at a crawl. Classes dragged on at a snails pace, the commute home felt like it took longer than ever, and then there was the homework. Seriously, he thought it would never end and yet time skipped merrily by as he was doing that. Did the laws of the universe dictate that the more unlikable the task, the faster time moves forward? Okay, maybe he was being a bit overdramatic or just plain anxious. Tonight was a (rescheduled) date night after all and he did not want to be late.

Honestly, time was an indecisive bastard who needed to set a pace and stick with it.

It was annoying and needlessly stressful!

Speaking of being late, he was under the impression that he was going to be considering what time it was when he finally finished his work. It was enough time to get moving and make it to their agreed meeting spot for this evening. Which, as of 4:30pm, was set to be at the JonaGarden Family Restaurant; not too far yet not too close by either. A quick shower and a change of clothes later, he set out to reach his destination.

Surprisingly enough, the trip there went very smoothly; for not a single unfortunate event had befallen him as he traversed. Paranoia of his own fowl luck made him leave home earlier than the projected time he assumed it would take. No misfortune meant no delays, leading to an earlier arrival time than he expected. Fifteen minutes earlier to be exact, which was all well and good all things considered. Looking at his phone, the time read 7:06 pm and there was no sign of Mugino anywhere.

Rather than going into the establishment, he posted himself up in plain sight next to the big display sign beside the steps.

The light posts evenly scattered about had long since flickered to life as the dark of night drew closer. Students remained in abundance, however most were garbed in casual clothes opposed to their summer uniforms. Not that there was anything unusual about that at this hour. Problem was, it made it less obvious who was a troublemaker and who was not. Rumors were abundant about delinquents who liked to often come here to meet up with each other. Those rumors alone were reason enough for this Kamijou to not be a huge fan of this area.

Like any other person, he would prefer to avoid a confrontation with any sort of dangerous folk around here. Assuming, of course, that the rumors were in fact true and this was a typical meeting spot. But how true those claims were was a matter he did not intend to validate tonight.

"When we 'gon eat?"

"Is food all you ever think about, you hick?"

What is it with teens wearing sunglasses at almost all hours of the day?

Was that a trend that he did not know about?

"Mmn, barbeque don' sound bad right 'bout now."

"...I hope you get run over by a fucking meat-truck sometime soon."

Clearly the other guy was joking; he must have been since his friend proceeded to laugh shortly thereafter. It persisted for quite a bit too, lasting roughly a few seconds after Kamijou stopped following them with his eyes. If anything further was added, he did not hear it. Which was fine, he was not looking to eavesdrop for the sake of eavesdropping. More or less it was a means for him to kill time as he waited. As far as the people around him went, everything seemed alright so far. No obvious troublemakers appeared to be lurking about like he was half expecting there to be when he got here.

"I swear, sometimes I wonder how you live with yourself."

"You know, if someone doesn't share your interests, it's better to not invite them in the first place."

...that guy is in a suit openly discussing his hobbies to what Touma could assume was his casually dressed friend...

What the hell was he looking at here?

"Well, someone's gotta open your eyes to the greatness of the 2-D world! Maybe then you'd be less dull!"

"I'd actually prefer to be considered dull than be labeled as an otaku, you know."

Okay, abnormal yes, but they otherwise seemed unthreatening. Disregarding the vast differences in attire between the two guys, it was well within the territory of being acceptable. It did not stop the terrifying thought of how this would have gone if Aogami were here to experience this. Bastard would have probably hugged the guy on the spot like he had found a long-lost sibling. Scary thought of there being two Aogamis in the same place at the same time. Just thinking about it made him feel as if his whole body had been dipped into a tank of ice-water.

"At least the people around here are a colorful batch." Alright, time to think about something else. "Hope I don't have to wait out here too long."

"You won't."

This sudden response near his ear combined with his own paranoia created an interesting response.

"Gaaaah!"

Okay, so it was not so interesting; sue him for being easily startled.

Poor Kamijou practically jumped out of his skin for a second there. Seriously, there is no reason for this Kamijou to nearly suffer from heart failure at his age!

Such a thought went in and out of his brain faster than the contents of last week's pop-quiz. It took less than a second for his body to jerk away and whip his head around. Even then, his heart was still beating like a drum in his chest. The look the speaker was giving him was both disheartening and annoying. A mixture between pure amusement and mild inquisitiveness was what he was met with; the former of which being more prominent than the latter. A single flawless eyebrow was raised, serving as a contrast to the mirthful glimmer in her eyes and the soft smile playing on her lips.

Once his heart-rate finally settled, he took note of the looks he was getting from the many passing bystanders.

From there, his shoulders sunk while his face contorted into evident irritation.

"Jeez, make a bigger scene why don't you."

Mugino's amusement-laced comment was not helping him out either.

"...shut up."

She was stifling a laugh, he could clearly see that, and so the annoyance on his face did not leave. Not for a good couple seconds anyway. But as his body relaxed, his eyes took in her appearance. The violet long-sleeved sundress she was wearing looked like it was about to burst open at the chest. The more his eyes traveled down, the more he realized how it hugged at her shapely figure from her waist all the way down to her legs. The black stockings were contrasted to the white heeled boots she was wearing.

The latter of which looked to be the most expensive part of her outfit. Beyond that, everything else about her looked...affordable yet was still visually appealing. Now if only that damn hint of cleavage would stop calling for his attention.

"Like it?"

Crap, he had been caught!

"Um!"

Before any sort of panic could settle in however, Shizuri waved it off with a dismissive gesture of her hand.

"It's fine, I wasn't sure this was good enough when I left. Good to see that I was wrong."

You bet your sweet curves you were wrong.

In fact he was not sure if he could look her in the face without his eyes diverting a couple centimeters down.

"Y-yeah, sorry, it does look good on you Shizuri." That sheepish compliment was not in any way to be considered smooth. If anything it made him sound more like an idiot, so he changed the subject. "Actually, I'm sorta surprised I didn't see you coming. Were you already waiting here or something?"

"Mmn, sort of, I only got here about five minutes ago." Retorted his girlfriend, as she casually twisted at a few locks of her hair with her finger. "I went inside to see if there was gonna be a long wait. Turns out it's pretty busy, but we should still be able to get a table within the next five-to-ten minutes or so."

"That's good, I don't like the rumors that are floating around this area." The tension in his shoulders lessened as he let out a sigh here. But seeing that glimmer in Shizuri's eyes made him feel uneasy. "What? Oh please don't tell me there are a bunch of scary-looking guys in there."

"No, nothing like that from what I saw." Those white heels clacked against the asphalt as she stepped into his physical bubble to wrap her arms around his right side. "Don't worry though, if some shithead tries anything, I'll be sure to protect you."

"That's not funny."

Shizuri's uninhibited laughter said otherwise.

Such a response acted in the same manner as a light switch. From the instant it started, this Kamijou's expression went from worried to deadpan. Mocking a male's masculinity was no laughing matter, yet here she was doing just that without a care in the world. His poor male pride had been shot right here, out in the open like a rabid dog. Worst of all was that he had no witty comeback to use here. Perhaps at later time, he would be able to easily brush this dirt off his shoulder.

As far as the here and now was concerned, his outward appearance showcased his mild case of indignation.

Internally, he was weeping.

"Oh cheer up already, it was a joke." Catching her breath, his heartless girlfriend gently nudged his side with her shoulder. "I mean it though, I'm not gonna stand by and let a group of circle-jerking thugs ruin my date night."

"...that still wasn't funny."

He averted his gaze as she was rolling her eyes at his behavior. It was petty, sure, but dammit his pride was wounded. The least she could do was let him mope about it for a few more minutes. Such a thing was not meant to be however, as he suddenly felt one of her warm hands firmly cup around his chin. Suddenly his head was being pulled downwards as Mugino was stuck staring at the side of his face.

What she was looking at became clear having remembered the events that took place earlier in the day. Specifically the bruise below his right eye socket where Fukiyose had dropped her foot down on his face. And just like that, that pale pink image came floating back into his mind.

Tragically, he could not remove the image from his head.

"Oh, that, it's nothing to worry about." He said this as he raised his free hand to ease her hand off his chin. Meeting her gaze, he saw that an expectant look took up residency in her eyes; so elaborated to a certain degree. "Me and my friends from school were being stupid again. Well, not me, it was mostly them to be honest. I was actually the victim of their stupidity for once. Anyway, long story short, I ended up getting hit in the face."

A healthy amount of skepticism evicted the previous tenants within her eyes.

"What sort of stupidity?"

Kamijou's retort began with a casual shrug.

It was not like this was the first time he had described him and his friend's antics to her

"They were arguing about which was better between two completely different gestures. I was eating lunch, so I wasn't part of the argument. They wanted unbiased opinion though and were trying to make me ask you when you texted me earlier today."

"What does that...oh, I get it now." Shizuri's head nodded in understanding once the realization kicked in. It spoke volumes of how often these stories tended to end in the most predictable of ways. "Since I didn't get any odd texts, I'll assume they didn't get it. Do I want to know what the hell where they trying to ask me?"

"Head-pats and hand-holding."

Silence.

Dead silence.

At least between the two of them.

Now it was Shizuri's turn to look at him with a deadpan expression.

"Fucking what?"

He probably would have mirrored that look if he was not suppressing the urge to laugh.

"Exactly what I said." The few snickers that escaped from his mouth as he answered were testament to his failed efforts. "Head-pats and hand-holding, that's what they were arguing about. I can't make this stuff up."

She blinked once, twice, thrice before finally letting out a sigh as her hand rose to the bridge of her nose. This was exactly the sort of reaction he would have gotten if he had failed earlier. Nevertheless, seeing her react this was amusing in its own right. Seeing her visibly cringe at the stupidity of his friends was a treat in itself. All the more reason why it became increasingly harder not to laugh at this reaction. It honestly looked like his answer had done physical harm to her.

Not her fault, she was still not as accustomed to Aogami and Motoharu's behavior; much less all three of them together. And this was just a retelling of today's endeavors. He could only imagine how she would handle it she were there to see it firsthand.

"Your friends are fucking idiots."

He responded without missing a beat.

"I know and I'm one of them."

Why did he say that as if he were proud of that?

"Why does that piss me off a little?"

He did not even get a chance to answer before the girl's body abruptly jerked. He watched as her hand went beneath the hem of her dress, showing off the black shorts beneath, and pull something out of her back pocket. The item was one of those flashing beepers restaurants use to inform customers that a table was ready for them. Good timing too, Shizuri was looking a little crabby after hearing what exactly had happened earlier in the day.

"Huh, that was quicker than I thought. Whatever, let's get in there before I have to hear anymore or this story." She said this as an exasperated sigh was let loose from her mouth. "I don't know if I should be glad they didn't ask me this shit or pissed off knowing that they intended to."

"Probably a little of column 1 and a little of column 2 if we're being honest."

"Smartass."

Both gave a light chuckle at that but otherwise proceeded towards the ramp leading up the restaurant. Her arm was still locked around his, but he suspected it was to keep him from running away. Reason being that he was not a particularly big fan of this place. It was purely due to the selfish reasons regarding the restaurant's price. It dipped into the territory of 'expensive'. Not that he had any say in the matter, since it was his girlfriend's turn to pick a place to eat for this date. Such was the mutual agreement they had come to early on in this relationship.

While her destinations of choice were more affordable these days, they had not always been that way.

Kamijou's heart went out to his poor wallet regardless.

"So, who's side were you on?"

"Eh?"

Shifting his attention to the girl who's arm ensnared his yielded nothing. She was looking straight ahead as if she had said nothing at all. For a moment there he thought he had imagined it. Had her eyes not briefly flickered towards him he probably would have continued believing that. Forward as Shizuri often was, moments like these were where the less mature side of her became more pronounced. These moments usually showed off the rather cute side of her that many are not fortunate enough to behold. Cases where she was embarrassed, for example, tended to be avoided when out in public or approached in an indirect manner.

Also, during these instances, she did not make a habit of repeating herself.

If he was not paying attention, then it was his loss.

And she would be mad at him because of that.

Kamijou did not want that now that he had all but confirmed she had asked him a question. She was waiting for an answer, but that gave rise to questions of his own. Was he supposed to say the one he thought was right even if it was not entirely true? Was he supposed to be dead honest and tell about the third option that he did not voice? Or, hell, was this one of those questions that had no right answer? He had already kept her waiting longer than he should have.

Pretending to not hear it would make her mad. Putting it off until later was going to make her mad. His actual answer could _potentially_ make her mad.

The pattern was clear: all choices ended with a high possibility of making Shizuri mad.

If this was supposed to be some sort of boyfriend test, then it is rigged!

"I, uh...really wasn't interested in taking sides with either of them." His confession came out sounding sheepish as he scratched the back of his head. Although this 'confession' was only to make what he said next less of a lie. "But if I was leaning towards one of them, I guess I'd pick the hand-holding."

...did her arm loosen a bit just now?

Actually, a better question had surfaced: why was she looking him so critically?

He did not enjoy being on the receiving end of that look!

"Tch, that's such a boring answer." Please, Shizuri, do not use that judgmental tone on this Kamijou! "I'm _almost_ not surprised to hear that coming from a puritan wuss like you."

That is _not faaaaaair~!_

That boyfriend test is _riiiiiiiiiiigged~!_

Shizuri's bored and disappointed gaze lingered on her face long after she looked away. And, once more, Kamijou felt as though his masculinity had just been tested. He apparently failed and that awareness wounded him dearly. So much so that he wished he could find a hole to bury himself into. If his right arm was free he would be cradling his head right about now. Sadly he could do neither of those things, or even openly weep at his girlfriend verbally stabbing him right in the pride. All he could do was sulk quietly beside her while his heart continued to sob quietly within his chest.

Shizuri had applied the killing blow to his pride and his wallet was soon to follow. On top of that, she was likely going to shoot them both again just for kicks. In times like these, two familiar words came to mind that expressed what he currently felt.

Kamijou Touma uttered those words under a single dejected breath.

"Such misfortune."

* * *

Disregarding the less than stellar treatment prior, the restaurant affair played out better than Kamijou thought.

He was still a sullen mess for half of it, but Shizuri had persistently kept the mood stable via conversation. He was able to recover based on her efforts there, though it was likely to keep herself entertained. A silent dinner was a boring one and he was not about to ruin it for her. She was making the most of her time with him so it was only fair that he did the same. Damaged male pride aside, he was able to lighten up from it all and things only turned out better from there. The food was good, they had a few laughs, and the overall experience was pleasant. Best of all, those rumors appeared to be false as he did not see any shady folk lingering inside.

All in all, it was a good experience.

Then the check came and he immediately went back to crying.

"You worry about money too much." He heard Shizuri say beside him, half-lidded eyes laced with disapproval. "I told you I could cover it on my own. It was your own fault for trying to act impressive and pay for it all yourself."

"This Kamijou could not take any more blows to his pride tonight Shizuri." Truly it could not. If he had accepted that outcome then he really would be forced to forfeit his man-card. "It's not like I'll go hungry and I still have food at the house. Nothing to worry about, now just let me mourn."

He did not miss the mumbled 'jackass' that followed this remark. In spite of his own words, he was able to crack a small smile. It must have been infectious since Shizuri had done the same when their eyes met. She had even leaned a bit into his arm as they continued to walk through the cool evening streets of District 7. There was no other destination set in mind and that was perfectly fine. It was usually how these evenings played out once their bellies were full. To anyone else that may sound like a boring and wasteful use of an evening.

Truth be told, however, the unexciting activity was probably their favorite thing to do since it was all so normal for them.

They did not need to go to any special place or do anything to enjoy themselves. Of course they had done such things in the past and had a great time doing them. Hell, for all he knew, they might have done something a bit different if things had gone according to their original plans. Making up new one plans on such short notice could have ended up being a bigger hassle than necessary. So sticking to what was familiar and comfortable for them both was the better option to take.

That was not just Kamijou's opinion on the matter either. This was a mutually shared belief between both parties and that was what remained to be important. If per se Shizuri had desired for something else to occupy their time then he would happily oblige her. There was no doubt in his mind that she would have otherwise voiced her disapproval by now if that was the case. But it was not, she was content with this, and so at face value this was the best choice of action.

Though, now that his mind was on the subject, there was something he wanted to ask her.

"Hey, Shizuri, what's going on with you tomorrow?" His casual inquisition was met with silence, both before and after his attention was drawn towards her. "You said something about being preoccupied with something tomorrow. Is it something personal or is it something else?"

Shizuri, in lull of meeting his gaze, sucked her teeth as her finger aggressively toyed with her hair.

"...Oi, Shizuri, what's-"

"It's fucking stupid but it's something that's to be expected." Whatever it was, it had the girl aggravated to a noticeable degree. "Academy City's System Scans will be coming up next month. I'm a Level 5 but my school is not properly equipped to calculate my Meltdowner accurately. In other words, I'll need to go to the research institution that was specifically designed to fit the needs of my ability. Which means that my test will have to happen after school."

Kamijou blinked a few times as the information started to take root in his brain.

"Okay." It took a few seconds, but when it finally processed, he proceeded to slowly nod. "So what does that have to do with tomorrow?"

"Basically, they need to do a pre-test to make sure the equipment is up to snuff." Responded the girl in a huff, having ceased her previous action to instead cross her arms under her breasts. "They have to calibrate it several times to make it as close to perfect as possible for the most accurate readings. It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't take for-fucking-ever to do that. It's supposed to make the System Scan take less time to complete or so I've been told. Personally I think the whole facility is run by a bunch of ass-hats who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder."

That part right there made him understand her issue by much better degree.

Tragically he did not know what to say in regards to what he was told.

"...Oh."

"Then, after that, they have some other tests they want to do. Not sure what those are about. All I do know is that I'll be missing the latter half of my classes tomorrow."

Once more, Kamijou really did not have much to add to this.

Not that it mattered since, at this point, she was clearly rambling.

"Then there's that ugly-ass suit they make me wear every time I need to go there."

Oddly enough this was the part that perked his interest. What's more, this time he had a more intelligent response to give her.

"They make you wear a suit?"

Okay, not that intelligent, but it was better than the last one.

"It's more like a diving suit and it's constricting as all hell." Clarified the girl as she finally brought herself to look at him. "It's also bland as fuck, but I guess they were more concerned with functionality rather than fashion. It's got some pretty sophisticated hardware crammed inside that it uses to monitor my vitals. That's not all it's for though, there're also receptors that gather data based on a long list of stimuli. It was designed specifically for my Meltdowner, which is arguably one of the most destructive abilities in the city. The catch is that I physically can't use it to its absolute maximum. Reason being that the recoil alone would kill me, but that's beside the point."

He must have looked lost since, part-way through this explanation, she stopped and sighed heavily.

"In other words: the suit is like a speedometer; except it measures recoil. It's meant to determine how much power I'm drawing out by using the recoil caused from its usage. From there, the researchers have me gradually raise the output until I reach a certain benchmark. They already recorded where my body's physical limitations are at by using that suit. They know what's safe and what's not, but they periodically have me go higher. Apparently they're testing to see if my body has naturally adjusted to that pressure and see if I can maybe draw out more power."

"Okay, time out, they have you do what now!?" Shizuri actually looked startled at him there for a second. Understandable considering how he was looking at her in disbelief at this given moment. "Didn't you just say that the recoil by itself could end up killing you? If you already know that then that means they know that too, right? So why the hell are they still making you do something that might end up killing you?"

"Please, going slightly above my average output isn't gonna blow my arm off." Rebuked Shizuri as she rolled her eyes. "Most of the time, I just wake up the next day with some minor bone aches. And yeah, that's still not good, but it's better than the worst case scenario playing out."

"Do they give you something the day after these tests to deal with that? Any pain killers or anything?"

"Oh relax, it's nothing major, so quit worrying so much Kamijou."

It sure as shit sounded major to him!

Such thoughts were almost vocally expressed. Almost because, despite his concern, Mugino was smiling at him in such a casual way. It was the cocky assuring sort of smile she usually gave whenever he got too uppity about specific matters. For some reason it always reminded him of a certain senpai that he occasionally bumped into at school. A smile that was brimming with confidence, self-assurance, and maturity. What made it different in this case was how it was presented.

It was not being applied in a condescending fashion, not even a little bit. Mugino was looking at him as if he were an innocent child who was worrying about something insignificant.

That may have been a poor metaphor to use here yet, all the same, it felt appropriate.

"I appreciate the concern, but seriously it's just a small drawback that comes with my ability." Once more, her arm entangled around his own as her head rested on his shoulder. "Really, you don't need to get so worked up about it. It's not the first time I've done this and it won't be the last. I'll be fine, so don't go losing too much sleep over this."

As much as he wanted to be at ease with this assurance, he was not; not entirely anyway. For within the depths of his subconscious traces of that very real concern remained. They might have been tucked away inside a few scattered nooks and crannies, yet they were still there. Such a glaring fault was something worth being worried about no matter how much Muigno said otherwise. Alternatively, this was his girlfriend's ability and as such nobody understood it better than she did. She was not stuck in a strange place like he was.

Unlike his ability, her Meltdowner could be explained, understood, and controlled with its limitations capable of being measured. By comparison, her ability was more grounded than Imagine Breaker; which the Power Development Curriculum was unable to explain or understand.

That, however, was beside the point.

"...hey, about that recoil-meter-suit-thing you're forced to wear. Is it really as bad looking as you make it sound?"

What could he say, he was curious.

Although he did not appreciate the chuckle that was given after a brief period of silence.

"It's tight, way too tight, but its designed that way to get the most accurate readings possible." Why did she suddenly have such an impish grin on her lips? "Now that you mention it, I think the reason the researcher's make me wear it is _because_ it's so constricting."

...

He did not like what he was hearing.

"Keeping my underwear on makes it too uncomfortable, so I'm _completely_ bare underneath. Those poor fucks probably get off to seeing a young girl's ass and boobs perfectly outlined for them to see. I bet they use the excuse of 'research purposes' to justify their thorough examinations during the tests."

Okay, in one hand, he _did_ like what he was hearing.

On the other hand, he _did not_ like the where this was going!

"Shit, I wouldn't be surprised if some old guy was behind a monitor somewhere jacking it with all the camera's aimed at certain angles."

His mind was a amazing thing in that he pictured that very scenario in vivid detail.

And because of that, something somewhere in Kamijou's mind snapped.

"Gaaaaah I don't know if I should be angry or jealous! I don't wanna picture some creepy old man ogling my girlfriend's body from behind some monitor! But I reeeally wanna be in his shoes if that is actually true! Come on brain, give me a mental image of my skin-tight leather-clad girlfriend. _I need_ _this!_ I need this more than you could ever know!"

Fellow nearby pedestrians, as well as Mugino herself, may have found his abrupt outcries alarming.

Justified as they were, it would suffice to say that he was aware and he did not care.

"Why!? Why can't I picture Shizuri in a hot outfit like that at all!? Why does the creepy old man have to be more vivid than the thing I actually want to see right now!? Get out of there already, you aren't wanted!"

Kamijou was too overwhelmed with disgust and envy as his imagination kicked into high gear.

To his despair, his mind was putting its focus on the wrong thing.

"No! What are you doing!? Is my own imagination seriously betraying me!? What kind of crap is that!? Why can't I just picture what I want to see!? Wait, no, that old man is getting clearer! He's gonna haunt me in my dreams for an entire week at this rate! Get out! Get out of my head! You're gross, creepy, and above all you're pissing me off!"

Much to his growing despair, the vivid imagery persistently flashed in his mind's eye each time he blinked. Both hands clawed and pulled at his hair out of anguish and jealousy. From the viewpoint of others, he was acting as though his hair had suddenly caught fire or perhaps something far worse. Mugino, meanwhile, had opted to stand idly by and watch the spectacle of him thrashed about like a wild animal. He had already noted that she had removed herself from his side once he had started yelling. From there, all she had done was stand a few paces away whilst shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose.

No words came from her, for they were not necessary to convey her thoughts.

* * *

If he had to venture a guess, Kamijou would say roughly ten to fifteen minutes had passed since his little tantrum.

Both he and Shizuri had returned to being mobile, albeit the latter was mostly tugging him along like a oversized toddler. Honestly he could say it was fitting given how he acted. However, continuing this stroke of honesty, Kamijou would be lying if he said he was not amused. Perhaps he was alone in this regard, but he found the whole thing to be quite hilarious. Excluding the very real envy he felt, seeing Mugino's reaction was more or less worth it. Seeing her visibly flushed was a rare treat in itself to behold.

Sure it ultimately came at the expense of what little shred of dignity he had left. But Shizuri had already chipped away at his pride enough tonight.

One more nail in the coffin would not ruin him any more than he already was. Therefore making it safe to assume that there was very little humility left in him by that point. It was also not hard to assume that he felt no shame in openly expressing his thoughts at that time. While it may not have been his original intent, embarrassing her was the closest thing to payback that he could hope to ask for. Catching the fashionable aloof hotness that was his girlfriend turn into an uncomfortable blushing maiden just happened to be an added bonus.

A rather big bonus since it was an archetype that would not be linked to her otherwise.

"I'm just saying you should've thought that through when you decided to mess with me."

"How was I supposed to know you'd go full jackass on me? Really, who the hell makes a scene like that in public?"

Kamijou's said nothing, although not due to the lack of ability to provide any input.

Rather it was because he was busy pointing at himself with the most serious expression he could express.

"Tch, smartass," Shizuri, much to her credit, responded to this Kamijou's brutal honesty with a small smile and the rolling of her eyes. "Makes sense why you and those friends of yours get along so well. You're all a bunch of fucking idiots."

"Yup, we stick together like birds of a feather or however the saying goes." His quick retort was accompanied by a light shrug. "At any rate, nobody can say that we're a boring bunch to be around."

"You're not wrong, I'll give you that much."

Kamijou's chuckles mixed in with her own as the debate had finally been concluded. They had been on this topic for the better part of seven minutes. It was a tough verbal battle to get his girlfriend to see the humor in his act of idiocy. The fact that he had ultimately succeeded in that effort was something worthy of self-praise. She usually was not a fan of rampant stupidity no matter who it was or at whoever's expense. Typically he was not an exception to that ruling and yet sometimes he was able to get away with it. This instance just happened to be one of those times where she let him slide.

Having finally put the subject to rest, Kamijou took in his surroundings to realize where they were. Darkness had officially settled and the lamp posts lining the walkway were fully active. Based on the looks of things, they were under a long overpass with a train-yard to his immediate right. They had been traveling along chain-linked fence that separated them from the wall of shipping containers that were towering at most a couple stories high. For the most part, Kamijou had a general idea as to where they were.

Although the question of how they ended up here of all places was beyond him. All he knew for certain was that, excluding themselves, no one else was around.

"You know, we can swing by my dorm if you want to relax for an hour or so."

The proposition was a spontaneous one that came out of his mouth in a criminally thoughtless manner.

"Well would you look at that? Looks like _someone's_ getting comfortable with me being in their home."

"...is it really that weird though?" Despite shooting himself in the foot less than a second ago, he played it off really well. "I mean, it's not really that big of a deal when you think about it. It's not like we're doing anything we shouldn't be."

"Are you trying to tell me something here Kamijou?"

Her insinuation took a second for it to click in his brain. When it did, she was met with a cough as his spiky head turned away from her. They had already been dating for two months now, with their third month literally a week away. Thus far things have been stable, their dates mostly innocent in nature with the occasional innuendo thrown in here and there. Beyond that, however, their intimacy had been restricted to passionate kissing sessions in private. Now, at first, that was fine, he was content with that. As time went on, however...well, he could admit that he wanted to do more in those moments.

Problem was, he did not want to come off as being too pushy on the matter itself. Breaching the subject alone was not easy for him. More importantly, he did not want to make himself seem desperate or his intentions one-dimensional in nature. Putting it simply, he did not want to ruin the good thing they had built up to this point. The longstanding issue that sort mentality had was that their relationship would stagnate if change did not occur eventually.

Truthfully he did not even know how to approach the subject matter naturally. There just was no appropriate time or place to discuss the subject. Even when there was, he often tip-toed around it due to his own concerns and embarrassment.

Now here he was with the optimal chance to do so.

The question at the forefront of his mind, however, was if he could get that message across successfully.

No pressure or anything.

"Uh...I mean, the walls in my dorm are pretty thin. Pretty sure everyone would hear us if we did start messing around."

"Fuck 'em, is that really your biggest issue?"

"No! Well, kinda, but not real-wait, shit!" His entire face felt like it was on fire, but he could not stop now. "Ugh, how am I supposed to say this without it sounding so _baaaad!?_ "

"Easy, quit being a pussy and say it."

Shizuri did not miss a beat nor beat around the bush.

In turn, Kamijou threw all caution to the wind and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Fine! I want to do more than just make out with you Shizuri!" That line came out louder than he intended. He knew that because he heard his voice echo, which killed the seed of bravado before it could sprout roots. But it was now or never and he had been raised to finish what he started. "I want to...well...do other things. Y-you know, more hands-on stuff and then...eventually, work our way up to, uh, s-sex."

Amidst the pause of conversation that enveloped the two, all Kamijou could hear was his own heartbeat. Everything from his forehead down to his collar was burning from pure embarrassment. It was to such a degree that he did not dare look at her to gauge her reaction.

Obviously this was nothing like a typical shoujo manga. The clichés of that medium did not apply in this scenario by any stretch of the word. Both his and Mugino's motor functions were operating properly. Their stroll was not impeded at all. Throughout the conversation, neither party had faltered in their steps. Had someone been watching from a distance, they no doubt would have thought nothing of them or the topic of their discussion.

"...I didn't think you'd actually say it." Quietly admitted the girl once she had fully absorbed his little confession. "I can't say I'm surprised. You've done more reckless shit than this in the past. But you probably should have worded it better."

Kamijou genuinely thought that he was going to die any second now.

"...I uh...I won't keep you waiting for an answer. If that's what you want then...fuck it, I'm not against it."

"...eh?"

Kamijou heard his neck pop quietly as his head jerked back around. Opposed to the typical reaction one would expect, Mugino kept looking straight ahead. She was toying with her hair again, albeit this time in a much less aggressive fashion. Thanks to the light posts, he was able make out the slight dustings of red tinting her cheeks. Mugino Shizuri was no meek maiden, yet she was still a girl who was entitled to emotions like embarrassment or nervousness. She just made it a point to hide them whenever they showed up.

Factoring in the seriousness of this conversation and it was clear that her emotions had mirrored his own. He had always found her to be more appealing when she acted like this.

"You're not really gonna make me repeat myself again, are you?"

Coupled with her annoyance, it almost looked like she was pouting; which was an equally a cute sight.

"N-no, no, I heard you the first time." He quickly confirmed, his free hand rising up in a calming gesture before falling back to his side. "You more-or-less caught me off guard there for a second. But um...where did...are you...is that okay?"

"Yes, Kamijou, it would be fine by me."

"O-Oh, uh, then...crap I wasn't expecting that to be honest."

"Is it really that unexpected?" She almost sounded bored as she proposed that question. However, he immediately dismissed it upon catching the soft yet self-assured smile on her lips. "Personally, I don't know what else we can do to develop our relationship at this point. And I'll admit, I wouldn't mind getting a bit more physical with it. I can't imagine you disagreeing with me after you're little episode earlier."

Her last remark saw her sporting a more mischievous grin that he could not help but mirror.

"What guy would disagree?"

"A complete idiot, that's who."

"Good thing I'm not one of those."

Once more, Touma was blessed with the sound of Mugino's light chuckles as she leaned herself closer to his side. An action that he welcomed wholeheartedly as his arm wrapped itself around her waist. With the nervous tension now gone, the atmosphere around them gradually became calm, quiet, and still. Their footfalls were the only thing breaking the tranquil silence between them as they carried themselves forward.

Where they were going did not matter.

What they did was not important.

Quiet moments like these were by no means a bad thing. If anything, it allowed them to seize the moment and fully appreciate it for what it was worth. In a place where life could be too busy, it was refreshing to take in the small comforts that came from these tiny insignificant moments of serenity. Unfortunately, as with most things in life, these quiet moments were not meant to be long-lasting. It was a fundamental law engraved into the pillars that make up the foundation of modern society. Fate was not bias, or so it should not be in regards to tampering with people's lives.

Sadly this Kamijou was fate's favorite plaything.

A low hum born from vibrations tore through the silence like a hot knife. Any other time that ring could have been dismissible or otherwise gone unheard. The fact that it was heard made it draw more attention than it should have drawn. The source of that noise was obvious and her irritation showed as her hand reached for the back pocket of her shorts. Out of respect, Kamijou gave her some privacy and did not lean over to see precisely who was trying to contact his girlfriend. For some reason, Mugino's face grew increasingly angry upon seeing who the caller was.

Nevertheless, she answered and Kamijou could not help but pity whoever the poor sap was.

"I'm busy, what do you want?" Straight to the issue, Mugino made her point transparently clear to the person on the other end of the line. "Don't give me that bullshit, tell me what you want or I'm hanging up."

Yeesh, now he _really_ felt bad for whoever the person was.

"Are you kidding me? Didn't you hear what I just said? I'm fucking busy right now, I don't have time to-"

Mugino did not get a chance to finish her train of thought. Something was said that actually succeeded in quieting her. Not only that, whatever she was being told had grabbed her full attention. Most of it anyway, her eyes did occasionally shoot over towards him. Clearly she was conflicted about something she was being told. Whatever was being said had kept her silent for an extended period of time. Eventually, her silence was broken as she released a tired, resigning sigh.

"Fine, whatever, I'll take care of it. But next time I say 'I'm busy' take a hint and fuck off!"

That did not mean she could not voice her disapproval. By the time she had snapped the phone shut, she looked about ready to throw it to the ground. Fact of the matter was that she fully intended to do so. Had he not grabbed her by the wrist, the mobile device would have been broken into tiny pieces on the pavement. Fiercely burning eyes filled with seething anger fizzled out the second she caught his gaze. Gently, Kamijou lowered her arm as the two come to a halt in their progress.

Shizuri's expression may have looked positively livid. Yet those feelings did not match the tale her eyes were telling him.

"Sorry...guess I'm not as 'free' as I thought I was tonight." The bitterness of her tone expressed both her external anger and her internal disappointment. "Looks like I'll have to end tonight's date much sooner than I wanted to."

Deep breathes flared from her nose as she put forth an effort calm herself down. Unfortunately, by the looks of it, her efforts were doing little to help regain her composure. Rather than smash the phone against the pavement, Shizuri looked as though she were trying to crush the device with her bare hand. With how hard her hand was clutching it, he would not be surprised if it crumpled like a soda can within the next minute or so. Having said that, Kamijou did not waste a second more and pulled the girl close to his chest in a gentle embrace.

Said action was not so abrupt that it startled her in any shape or form. Quite the opposite, she hardly reacted to it at all as she remained stiff as a board with her face just below his collar-bone. If he were to be honest, he believed this was the most open display of sulking he had seen from her in quite awhile. Due to this action, Touma had noted that the flaring of her nostrils gradually became less pronounced the more she took in his scent.

"It's not worth getting upset about." Softly as these words were spoken, he had maintained his typically relaxed and casual tone of voice. "These things happen and I don't blame you for it. I blame the bastard who called you. Don't worry about it so much Shizuri, okay? You should know by now that I'd understand."

Kamijou could feel her hands glide across his shirt; clasping together by his lower back once as her arms had looped around his midsection. Her breathing now steady and calm as she adjusted her head to press her ear against his chest. A quick peek down showed that her eyes were closed as she listened to the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat. All signs of her earlier temperament were now gone and replaced by peaceful tranquility.

It was true that he had no idea what any of this was about, he nevertheless understand. Not fully, not even remotely, but he still understood that things were expected of her. Anything that those things entailed remained unknown to him. As far he was concerned, however, he did not need to know unless she wanted him to. People could him gullible all they wanted, alas that would not stop him for trusting this girl he came to care for. Such a sentiment was likely appreciated more then he would ever know.

"It's still bullshit."

He responded to her somber complaint with a soft grunt of agreement. And so this was how the two had remained for the better part of a few minutes. Just the two of them, beneath the overpass, enjoying the comfort of being held the other's arms. Savoring this one moment for all it was worth was the intention here. For they knew it would not last much longer and in the next couple minutes they would be forced to answer life's call.

Such was how this date was forced to its abrupt and distasteful conclusion.

* * *

"What do you mean Kanna-tan lost her first place spot!?"

"Nya, don't get mad at me, I'm just the middle-man here. I thought you already knew."

Aogami was not listening to the blonde apparently. He was too busy jerking the blonde back and forth by the scruff of his shirt while he wailed.

"How could this have happened!? Kanna-tan has always been at the top of the polls! What happened!? Who took her spot!? How many votes does this new girl have over Kanna-tan!?"

"Not sure, I can't remember, but it was a big shocker to everyone nya. I was surprised too, Kanna-yan's always had the #1 spot after those popularity surveys ended."

Oh the glories that came from an ordinary high-school life.

Much of the proceedings mirrored the events that played out yesterday. It was lunch time, he was eating while Motoharu and Aogami carried on with their own discussion. What played as a key difference from yesterday was that, this time, they were not arguing with each other. In this instance, Aogami was raving about the poll results from a survey at a local maid café. Apparently some new girl had won the popularity poll and dethroned the previous title-holder of Best Maid. Furthermore the blue haired boy had only now came upon this knowledge and had since become distraught by the news.

Whoever this Kanna-tan was must have really been something to get Aogami this worked up.

...then again this was Aogami he was talking about...

At least they were not slamming their hands onto his desk today.

"Kami-yan! Do you know anything about this!?"

Why was he suddenly being dragged into the discussion?

"Nya, I doubt it. Kami-yan can't vote for any girl unless its Mugi-chan. Otherwise she'd get jealous."

Part of him wanted to refute against that. As he opened his mouth to do so, the phone in his pocket began to hum. Probably for the best that it did, otherwise he might have said something he would later regret. Fishing out his phone, he snapped it open only to stare at the screen with a raised eyebrow.

"What's this?"

It was, of course, a message sent to him by Mugino; only it was not a simple text message. It had a caption at the top that read 'An apology for last night' along with two attachments added to it. Thinking little of it, he opened them right then and there.

Then his jaw promptly fell into his lap.

"OOOOOOOOOOH!"

All eyes within the classroom were on him by this point. Yet he did not pay them any heed in the slightest. He could not afford to with the splendid sight he alone was now privy to. This action perked the interest of both his cohorts enough to peer over his shoulder to view the image themselves. On reflection, he truly wished he had been smart enough to close his phone immediately after viewing the image.

His friends were quick to mimic his reaction.

The images themselves were self-photographed. A beautiful girl, who's long soft-tea hair was tied up in a long braid as her front profile was being reflected in a mirror. She was smiling smugly at her reflection whilst striking a non-descriptive pose. What caught the three boys' attention was the outfit in which she was sporting. Shizuri had said that the suit was constricting on her figure. Yet Kamijou could not help but think that the word 'tight' was putting it rather mildly. The red and black suit looked more like a second layer of skin rather than an outfit to be worn.

Every inch of her body, each curve 'concealed' beneath the material, had been flawlessly charted.

It was to the point in which nothing that was visible was left to the imagination.

An example of this, if he squinted, would be the clear outline of the girl's bellybutton through the fabric of the suit. That was probably the most tame outline which the three boys had taken notice of. Sadly the lower half of her body was cut off from the waist up. Which was probably an intentional choice made by the girl in question. The second image was vertically the same thing as the former. One thing that distinguished it from the other was that she had her back to the mirror and was looking over her shoulder. The other major difference was plain for any person to see.

Unlike the previous image, she was showing off her _entire_ back profile in the picture.

Honestly, the classroom was not a safe place to be viewing this.

A fact that Kamijou, once he snapped out of it, realized far too late.

"Class representative, we must-"

"You so much as _try it_ and I'll feed you your own teeth you sonovabitch!

In the end, the sounds of physical violence erupted once again within the otherwise peaceful classroom. Unlike last time however, Kamijou Touma was not running away. Rather he was fighting as if his entire life depended on the safety of his phone's contents. In his defense, it truly was a matter of life or death. For if the embarrassment alone did not kill him, Shizuri surely would.

Such was his luck.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

Alright, let me set the record straight. Most people's issues with Chapter 9 had been with his poorly positioned comedy bits. They were way too forced and my snarky narration bits were being too obnoxious. It was disrupting the narrative and that took away from the seriousness of the situation. That being said, quite a few people felt that it was pretty annoying. I was inclined to agree with them, hence why I've been toning that sorta thing down by a good margin. It's not gone, it'll come back, but for the time being it's staying in the penalty box.

Ahem.

Now then, with that cleared up, I'll say that this chapter is a mixed bag for me. There are parts that I really enjoyed writing and parts that I was pretty 'meh' about. Probably because nothing really happened this time around. No plot-driven point or anything; just the two of them out and about enjoying the other's company. But as the title of the chapter states, this takes place _**before**_ the 1st Appointment (Chapter 1). This will be the first of many chapters to come that explore the history of Touma and Mugino's relationship. Rather than go from where it all began, however, I've decided to go with the alternative approach.

That's right, I'm going full Memento in this mother-

Beyond that, I felt that instead of using the usual narration, I'd do it the same way I did in Chapter 10. More or less using it as part of my own little experiment. So far it's been fun writing in certain ways based on a character's personality and I actually enjoy doing it like this. Don't know if I'll keep this format or if I'll make it exclusive for moments where we don't have the Stalking Trio present in the story. Personally, I feel that shaking up the narrative like this will give these particular chapters a distinct feel to them.

Perhaps I can properly convey just how personal these episodic chapters are in nature. Something to make them contrast the other chapters which move the 'plot' forward. We'll have to see how it plays out here.

Oh, and don't worry, the adventures of the Stalking Trio will make their return. I hear you guys asking for that, but you might have to wait one more chapter before that happens. Lastly, shout out to _**FrodoFighter**_ for taking the time to editing this chapter for me. He never fails on being a such a great guy.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	12. Past Appointment: June 1st

Greetings to all!

You thought you'd finally get some closure to chapter 10's conclusion with this update?

Nope, too bad, here's another past appointment!

* * *

Frantic, desperate, and shallow breaths were emitting from someone.

Someone whose was running, who's face could not be seen; only their retreating back. The figure would on occasion stumble, topple over, and in a haste scramble to their feet to continue running. They would knock over objects, climb over fences, hell they would jump out of a window if need be. Believing as long as they ran fast enough, if they could gain enough distance, then they could escape with their life.

Mugino Shizuri loved it when they ran.

Watching the little shits futilely trying to delay the inevitable always had a way of making her laugh. It always happened after they realized who they were up against. It was always the moment after their efforts to fight back were pointless. The fear, the desperation, the hopelessness, all of these came to the forefront. She had seen it happen so many times that she made a game out of it. Mentally deducing who would be the first to run. If she was wrong, then she would wipe all of them out at once. But if she was right, that person would be the last person she would kill. She would take her time too, picking off every person who ran until the one remained.

From there she would just toy with him, trail after him, intentionally missing outright or only grazing them.

Little by little she would direct them where she wanted.

Lead them to a place where they could not escape.

Such was what she was doing now as her Meltdowner streaked through the air towards her target. The green light penetrated the blackness of the night as the individual altered from the path he had intended to go. Through this action, Mugino felt her lips form a smile. She had fun and very soon there would be nowhere left for them to run. It was actually a real shame that it had to end so quickly. The others had been sluggish, easy pickings, easy enough that she could have shot them all while blindfolded. Probably would given her a decent challenge, unlike this clean-up job she was stuck doing.

Sure, money was money, but jobs like these got monotonous pretty damn quickly.

Which was why she almost felt dejected at the idea of her little game coming to an end. Her footfalls were like the tick-tocks of a grandfather clock. The clacking of her heeled boots flooding the vast empty space with noise as she drew closer. No doubt this lone survivor could hear them as clearly as she could. Much like she expected, it only made them more frantic in their efforts to get away. Honestly she was expecting more from this one; albeit not much more than the others before them. That thought came and left her mind as another streak of green light was fired. This one had clipped her target in the shoulder and once again forcing them to alter their course.

Ultimately leading right where she wanted them.

As she rounded the corner, Mugino could see her target trying to pry the door open with one arm.

It did not budge and that meant only one thing.

Game over.

As the green glow of her Meltdowner filled the confined space with light, she saw the person begin to shiver. They knew she was there, knew what was about to unfold, yet they did not want to face it. Their body sunk to the ground, clutching the missing piece of their shoulder in the process. Waiting for the enviable oblivion that awaited them in the moments to come. Seeing this pathetic display nearly killed her entire mood. This one really had turned out to be a disappointment. The least they could do is fucking face her and die with a little bit of dignity.

Oh well, she had gotten bored of this anyway.

With but a thought, the confined space was filled with a bright green glow. One mental command and her game would be concluded in the same way it did in most situations. There was nothing new about this, nothing too thrilling to be worth committing to memory.

 _"Do you think he'd forgive you for this?"_

In spite of hearing those words, Mugino did not turn around.

The voice came from behind her, yet she did not pay any mind to what it had said.

Within the next moment, the green glow faded and the world had returned to its previous state. Yet the smile on her face was no longer present. In fact she was neither smiling or frowning. Had she been able to see her own reflection she probably would have noted how vacant her expression was. This was not the result of her usual boredom or dissatisfaction from how her little game had ended. No, she felt neither of those things; in fact she did not feel anything. Not surprising, she had been doing this longer than any of the current members of ITEM have been.

So what the fuck was the deal this time?

Because this time her detachment felt more...noticeable.

 _"You kill people for fun and even make games out of it."_ Once more she could hear that voice's reprimanding tone from within the dark void behind her. _"How do you sleep at night knowing how many lives you have taken?"_

The air was cold, so much so that a chill had ran down her spine, yet there was no wind blowing. All that surrounded her were the silhouettes of objects coated in the black veil of the night. Yet, in some twisted way, the horrors the shade looming around her acted as a blessing in disguise. The ugliness of this world she thrived in would otherwise be clear for all to see. That same world had long since infected her and made her just as ugly as the darkness she lived in.

 _"A monster like you doesn't deserve to be happy."_

She knew that better than anyone in Academy City and she did not need a fucking reminder.

So it could either say something relevant or make itself scarce.

 _"And you're too selfish to tell him the truth about what you do."_

The voice, that fucking voice, had better shut the hell up soon.

 _"How do you think he would react to it? Do you think he'd hate you? Are you afraid he will leave you while looking at you in disgust? Call you sick, vile, and hideous for your actions before he turns his back on you? Do you think all of that will happen? Is that why you don't say anything? Is that why you don't tell him the truth?"_

A single step was taken and immediately she felt something beneath her feet. As her eyes glanced down, she could make out the outline of a person despite the darkness. With a raise of her hand, Meltdowner came to life and revealed what she already knew. A corpse was by her feet; no, not _a_ corpse. Rather a plethora of corpses laid scattered across the ground of this confined space and beyond. There was no point in increasing the output of her ability to see more. Even if she had it would only be more of the same.

More bodies, more dead; all strewn about at the feet of the individual who murdered them.

Yet she still felt nothing.

She did not feel a damn thing for these people.

 _"Do you_ _ **think**_ _it will play out like that or do you_ _ **know**_ _that is exactly how it will go?"_

Because she was too focused on that cunt's voice that still rung in her ears.

 _"Come on, don't be shy, you can tell me~"_ It fucking giggled like a child at her before settling down with a pretentious sigh. _"Or maybe it's not about you being shy. Maybe deep down you're just a coward."_

Had this world contained any color, she was sure they would have been blurred. Blurred by how quickly her body had turned to lunge at the annoying voice behind her. Her Meltdowner was not wanted or needed at this time. This piece of shit did not deserve a quick and painless death. She wanted to watch them as she squeezed the life right out of their body. To watch them squirm, claw, and thrash about while her hands tightened around their windpipe. Only that outcome would suffice for the son of a bitch who had the _balls_ to call her a coward.

Mugino Shizuri, _her_ , a _coward?_

In this sonnova bitch's dreams!

Sadly the black veil was obscuring the view of this shit-bag's face. That was a no-go, she wanted to watch this fucker die. So, in an instant, a small green orb came into existence. And in that moment, something clicked in her head. The person was not struggling or putting up any form of resistance. An obvious explanation for why that was may have had to do with what she was throttling. As the light showed her it was not a person, rather it was a pillow; a body pillow she was now currently straddling.

The formerly corpse-covered asphalt was now gone.

A soft mattress, thin sheets, and soft pillows were now below her. It took her a couple seconds for her hazy mind to fully register what she currently doing. Then it took a few more seconds to realize that none of it had been real. What was real was the time displayed on the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand; which read 3:08 am. From there fatigue came rushing back to her, enticing a soft tired groan as she gently rubbed eyes. If she was not so damn tired, the rude awakening probably would have annoyed her much more than it did. Instead of dwelling on it, however, she crawled off the body-pillow and got back under the sheets.

She now had less than three hours left to sleep before she would have to be up again for class.

Irksome as it may be, all she could do was try to get comfortable again and hope that slumber would not be too elusive.

"Damn dream."

Yup, today was going to be one of those days.

* * *

You would think that a prestigious school would have more quiet moments in it.

Contrary to popular belief, her classroom was just as chatty as any other school was. It was not a place where students acted more like machines rather than sentient creatures with quirks and individuality. No doubt that was the impression most people got whenever they saw a really well funded school like hers. In all likelihood the average student probably viewed this place similarly to those elite schools held in the School Garden. However, beyond the 'elite' status tacked on to their name, the differences were clear to see. Primarily in the fact that it was not restricted to one sex nor was it quarantined off to its own private section in District 7.

Pompous little twats.

Just thinking about those brats pissed her off.

"Are you okay, Mugino-san?"

Ah, right, she needed to watch her temper.

"I'm fine."

"I-if you say so."

She did not so much as look up from the tablet she was holding as the girl walked away to join her friends. Friends who were all hovering near the window while she, near the middle of the classroom, was left alone. Such was part of the norm. Minus the brief interaction with her peers, this Mugino was always left to her own devices. Which, in all honesty, was one hell of a benefit considering how little she wanted or cared to interact with the people who shared her classroom.

Was she supposed to remember that girl's name?

Probably.

Did she have any desire to?

Hell no.

Fact of the matter was she hardly knew anyone's name. None of her classmates really had any noteworthy traits to differentiate them from one another. Every last one of them was as either uptight or as boring as the next person. Such was the environment she was stuck living in day-after-day. The boring, uninteresting, normal school life that dragged on for hours on end. A life filled with false smiles, fake personas, short-lived romances, and rampant drama all packed inside one smooth polished ball of shit. Three months ago she probably would have remarked on the stupidity of it all.

Which, she supposed, goes to show how things have changed since then.

But it was not just the students that annoyed her; the teachers were not much better.

Half the time they made her want to go to sleep with how their voices sounded bland and lifeless; as if they had not gotten laid in decades. Then there were the overtly energetic types who were way too chipper for any groggy student's liking. The worst of the bunch were the ones that used subject related jokes or educational puns; those teachers pissed everyone off. On one hand she had to commend them for showing off some bits of personality. But, on the other hand, it only served to drive her closer and closer to blasting them in the head with a well-placed shot to the skull.

Among the three, she counted her blessings that she only had to deal with the first two. The tradeoff was that she had to deal with one of them first thing in the morning. Worse yet, it so happened that the worst of the two was her homeroom teacher.

And this Mugino in particular was _really_ not happy to have to deal with that attitude first thing in the morning.

She felt a grimace start to take shape on her lips just thinking about it. Which is why there was a sense of relief when she felt something vibrate within her skirt pocket. Having put aside the tablet, she retrieved the device to find a message waiting for her in her inbox. Seeing who it was from was enough to improve her mood by leaps and bounds. More so when she actually read the message inside it. So much so that she actually had to stifle a barking laugh that would have caught a few people's attention.

"Jackass," It did not stop her from expressing her thoughts aloud; even if it was under her breath. "And here you were telling _me_ to not forget what today was."

The hopeless idiot never disappointed her with texts like these.

Having replied to his message, Mugino snapped the phone shut once she was sure it went through. During this process, she took note of how some of those girls by the window were sneaking glances in her direction. An action that she casually dismissed as she turned back to her tablet. At least those nosy pests knew better than to try and pry into her business. They had long since stopped trying to talk to her, much like everyone else did save for a few exceptions.

Another perk that came with the status of being a Level 5 was the trepidation of those lesser than herself. It did the job in keeping most people away even if it came at the cost of a lacking social life. Not that she gave much of a damn about it in the first place. As far as she was concerned, what she did whenever she was not here wasting daylight was exclusively for her to know. Everyone else could politely go fuck right off.

..shit, she needed to calm down.

That rude awakening earlier this morning was starting to show, even to her. Getting agitated for no good reason was not going to make this day go by any faster. If anything that would only make the day drag on longer. Faced with that awareness, Mugino let out a tired sigh as she stared at the tablet she had yet to switch back on. Classes had not even started yet and she already wanted to get out of here.

Seriously, what the fuck did that Kamijou like so much about this lifestyle?

 _"He doesn't live in the same world you do."_

...huh?

 _"He's not a monster like a certain someone I know. That same someone who profits from the tragedies she is directly responsible for."_

Her Meltdowner nearly came into existence when she heard that voice speaking directly into her ears. Her head shifted to every possible angle, searching for the speaker of those words. All she was met with were confused looks of those who witnessed her unusual behavior. Some averted their gaze, others just looked at her in mild surprise. She could even hear a few people whispering among themselves in hushed voices. Beyond that, nothing seemed out of place; which did not provide her any form of comfort. If anything it served to make her more suspicious of the people she was surrounded by.

 _"You're a murderer and a liar, plain and simple."_

Where was that coming from?

Who was fucking with her mind?

Those two questions were the most prominent ones to surface. There was no point in asking 'why' in this situation. As far as she was concerned, she did not care what their reasons were. All she cared about was finding the little twat and cutting a stop to it. The dream was enough of a annoyance, she did not want it cropping up while she was awake as well. However, much to her growing annoyance, she could not truly determine anything at this moment. Reason being was due to the sound of the bell chiming, signaling the start of classes. Although she did regain her composure, she did not stop eyeing every person within her peripheral vision.

"Good morning class~!" Aaand there she was; that overzealous voice hyped up on three or five cups of coffee. "Hurry along and take your seats please~"

...joy...

If it would not have caused a scene, she would be banging her forehead against her desk right about now.

Instead she just sunk a bit further into her seat as everyone else shuffled back to their desks.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

For the most part, the day progressed exactly as she expected it to.

Menial, monotonous, and time consuming.

In other words: drudgingly was the term of the day.

Literally every second of the day played out in the most mind-numbingly simple way imaginable. From the lectures down to the assignments; every bit of it felt like a colossal waste of her time. About the only portion of the day she actually _didn't_ mind was the physical education part of it. Physical exercise did wonders for her temperament and made for some welcome stress relief. Many still found it hard to believe that she liked to work up a sweat. Given how she looked, most would assume she was not into that sort of thing. Those people were dead wrong and she made sure to let everyone know it.

It sure as shit beat being stuck in the classrooms doing things like Linear Algebra all day.

Now if only she could do something about those pencil-dick boys in her class staring at her the entire time.

"I need a shower."

These four words were expressed aloud as she continued along the bustling path she was currently on. Her school bag was slung over her shoulder as her free hand fiddled with the keys on her phone. She found a few new messages in her inbox, some she replied to while most others were flat out ignored. Only one person really mattered though and that person had not sent her anything as of yet. Weird since their release times were virtually the same; so he should have texted her by now. There was a possibility that he could have simply forgotten to do so. Then again he was just as likely to be stuck in another remedial class.

She did not like either or those options.

"It's your turn to pick a place tonight you forgetful bastard." These words came through gritted teeth and her thumb began to aggressively tap on the keypad. "You'd better not have forgotten to tell me if you were busy with something else Kamijou!"

In spite of the forceful tapping of her thumb, the text she sent turned out completely different from what she was saying aloud. To be honest, while it did irritate her, this was not upsetting enough to linger around like a foul aftertaste. With a resigning sigh, she continued on her way towards the direction of that jackass' school. Although Kamijou had not picked a destination for their date, she already knew in advance that he was not going to stand her up. He knew better than to do something like that without at least giving her a head's up. That further fueled her belief that he was in remedial lessons.

If that was indeed the case, then it only meant she had to wait up for him as she often did. Not because she was excited about the date or anything; rather it happened to be the easiest way to find him. Surely someone there would know where he was in the event that her assumption was wrong.

...alright, fuck it, maybe she was a tiny bit eager to see what he had in mind.

 _"You aren't good enough."_

In an instant, Mugino could feel her own legs lock up at the sound of that vindictive voice. A reaction of that nature was not meant to last though. Within the second that her legs gave pause, they were back to working order once again. However, despite what her outward appearance may have shown, her mind and body were on high alert. Her eyes bounced from one face to the next, looking for anything or anyone who may have seemed out of place in the crowd.

It was the same voice from her dream.

The same spiteful voice from her classroom.

That sickly sweet fucking voice with bitter undertones was back once again, overwhelming all of the noise around her. Like a gnat buzzing around in her ear, almost as if it were echoing throughout her entire skull with each syllable. If that was not irksome enough, she knew that clogging her ears would do nothing to stop it. It was all in her mind, as in someone was openly trying to mess with her head.

 _"He deserves better, much better than anything you could ever hope to be."_

There was no point to refuting against anything that was being said to her. Not vocally anyway as it would only inflate the person's ego and likely make her seem like a loon out in public. Such was how Espers with telepathic abilities tended to act. They were cowards, more often than not they were off somewhere a safe distance away as they played little mind games on their targets. Shit they had every opportunity in the world to make her go on a killing spree if that had been their intent. So far though, this person was not making her hallucinate; which meant this bitch just wanted to hear herself talk.

Ordinarily that was something that could simply be ignored.

But the bitch was touching a nerve.

"Go fuck yourself."

 _"My, my, ladies shouldn't use that sort of language."_ Chided the voice, much like a nanny scolding a child for acting out. _"Then again, I suppose such a brutish vocabulary is fitting for your unpleasant personality. It_ _ **is**_ _reminiscent of someone else I don't particularly like."_

"You'll hear it a lot more if you don't get out of my fucking head."

 _"Hee hee, I'm sorry, but I can't do that~"_ This jovial tone ringing in her head was pissing her off more than the remarks were. _"Then again, I suppose it is more appropriate to say 'won't' rather than 'can't'. I can leave any time I want. But I have no incentive power to do that, so I won't. Also, on an unrelated note, I think it's worth mentioning that it is pretty cozy in here; although the abundance of free space is a bit unnerving."_

"So you're doing this just for kicks, huh? Is that what this is all about?" She was honestly glad that nobody in the crowd was paying her much mind. Otherwise someone would have found it weird that she was essentially talking to herself in a low voice this entire time. "How you answer that will decide if I waste my fucking day looking for you. And believe me, I _will_ find and turn you into a smear on the floor with my bare hands."

There was a silence in her mind, which she personally could not be happier for. Mugino could only surmise that the bitch was taking this moment to let what she was being told sink in. As she should, considering not a single word spoken was to be taken as an empty threat. This girl was snooping around in her head, so she must know how dangerous the Meltdowner was.

 _"Wow, in less than half a day you have already proven to possess superior brute power compared to_ _ **her**_ _."_ Dammit, her assumption was wrong again. Though, there was a noticeable lack of enthusiasm compared to before. Furthermore she was starting to sound annoyed; which was good because fuck her. _"It's almost frustrating how similar you two happen to be. I can only hope, for her sake, that she does not take after your un-lady-like conduct as she develops."_

One phone call.

That was all it would take to get a lock on where this shit-stain was.

 _"Putting that aside, the reasoning is pretty straightforward. I simply don't like the idea of someone with a foul reputation ability like yourself moving around so freely. Unfortunately, I do not have a conventional means to dispose of you without creating a ruckus. Doing so would likely create more complications, far too many for my liking anyway. So I have resigned myself to, more or less, taking up the role of spectator."_

"So you're just being an eavesdropper."

Out-fucking-standing.

 _"If it makes you feel better, you can think of me as the voice of your more appealing consciousness~"_

Mugino could feel her hand resting on the plastic case of her phone within the confines of her skirt-pocket.

You get one more, after that the gloves come off.

 _"In all seriousness, your reputation precedes you #4. I'm amazed by your notoriety ability; the number of enemies you have seeking revenge is very impressive."_

"Tch, please, they can try all they want and it'll always end the same way."

She unintentionally let out a brief but cruel sounding snicker at the notion presented to her. Momentarily, she forgot that she was conversing with a completely unknown individual via telepathy. However, this Mugino could not stop herself from finding that last remark to be a bit humorous.

 _"Someone clearly has a high opinion of herself."_

"It wouldn't be the first time and it sure as shit won't be last." Her shoulders shrugged, dismissing the remark about her arrogance as she casually retorted to the voice in her mind. "I've had to deal with plenty of dumb shits looking to get some payback. You wanna take a guess at how it ended? Here's a hint: I'm still here and they aren't."

 _"And everyone is oh so thankful for that."_

The sarcasm there was transparent, which Mugino could count as a minor victory.

"Shizuri?"

Any further discussion she was having with the voice came to a screeching halt. There was one person who held the privilege to refer to her on a first-name basis. And that person was standing just off to the side of the walkway in front of her, schoolbag in hand and looking at her in puzzlement. She probably would been surprised herself if she didn't immediately school her features the instant she heard him. Either she had covered more ground than she thought or that mental back-and-forth had messed with her perception of time. Whatever the case was, she was glad he called out to her; otherwise she might have walked right past him.

Excluding that spiky head of hair he sported, he blended in a bit too well with the crowd.

"...fancy that, I was just on my way to your school." The corners of her lips started to descend shortly after those words came out. "I didn't get a text from you saying what we were doing. I assumed you had remedial lessons, but that apparently isn't the case."

"Why did you...oh, right." Kamijou, catching onto where she was getting at, fished out his own mobile phone to show off its state of lifelessness. "My phone died around lunch and I left my charger at home; nobody else had one I could use."

Ah, right, he did say he was running behind earlier this morning.

Jackass forgot that today was when everyone was supposed to switch to their summer uniforms.

"Actually, it's a good thing we ran into each other."

"Why, so you get to see me in my sailor uniform?"

"No, but it is a nice bonus."

He did not even try to be discrete about it. She saw how his head and eyes took her in from top to bottom before settling back on her face. Not that she was much better, although in her case there really was not much to look at given how plain the uniform looked. Putting that aside she saw what the cheeky bastard was doing. Trying to make her blush with his offhanded form of flattery. It did not work, but she nevertheless cracked a smile at how quickly that response came. Kamijou was getting bolder with his flirtatious remarks and actions.

It was a welcome improvement and a far cry from the initial awkwardness they both had to suffer through.

"Okay smartass," Her free hand may have settled on her hip, but the smile was not going anywhere. "Why is it good that we bumped into each other here of all places? You got some big surprise set up for me or something?"

"...that depends on how much you like my cooking." Sheepishly, his hand rose to scratch at his scalp as his eyes trailed over towards the bustling crowd of students. "See, I was thinking about maybe having our date at my dorm tonight. A home cooked dinner and a movie or something since I needed to stock up on groceries. I'll be getting some funds next week, so I thought that this would be a better option until I have more money available."

Respectable, disappointing to some degree but nonetheless a respectable decision. Oh yes, she was aware of the complicated relationship Kamijou had when it came to money. Being a Level 0 was hard and so was living off the miniscule funds the city itself provided with its payment program. Meanwhile, as a Level 5, she could spend 10,000 yen on a whim and still have plenty of money left over. So yeah, she was conscious of this aspect of Kamijou's life. Did that imply that she had to like it? No, often times she expressed her disliking of it when he refused to let her deal with matters relating to money.

Something about male pride being on the line.

But that was all beside the point.

"Home cooked dinner...hm. It's been awhile since I last had one of those." She paused for a moment, crossing her arms beneath her chest to help sell the impression that she was mulling it over. "Any ideas on what exactly you'll be cooking?"

The clarification was not really necessary. Fact of the matter was she already knew what her answer was going to be. She just wanted to mess with him a bit and maybe see what he had in mind.

"I'll have to see what they have at the store. If I'm lucky-"

"Which you aren't."

"-then I should be able to catch some stuff on sale."

Rather than pout at how her jab had been pointedly ignored, she once again falsified her expression to appear pensive. She wanted to see him squirm a bit after all, so she kept this act up for a good couple seconds. Her patience was rewarded when she noted, from her fleeting glances, that he was getting increasingly anxious. More so when she started to really get into playing the role of the disinterested girlfriend. Her contemplative gaze combined with her guise of being mildly dissatisfied was beginning to make him sweat. By that point, she had her fun and felt it was time to let him get his sigh of relief.

Any longer and his face would turn blue and his head would burst.

"I guess that's fine with me."

Almost on cue, she heard him quietly sigh and she had to fight the urge to laugh.

 _"My, oh my, oh my; your acting power is amazing~! I wondered how you managed to keep all your dirty little secrets hidden from him this whole time."_

Again with the voice and again with the sarcasm.

She was truly getting sick of hearing both.

"Do you wanna tag along or would you rather get changed and meet me at my dorm?"

"I'll tag along," She quickly responded to that question with a shrug, tempted as might have been to take the latter option. "Knowing you, you'll get half-way home and trip up on a soda can or something."

"That was one time, Shizuri; _one time!_ "

"Sure, sure, whatever you say."

"Don't patronize me!"

"Are we going or what?"

Their little banter concluded about the way she expected it to. Kamijou letting out a groan as his body visibly deflated. This time there was no way she could keep the grin from forming as she lightly patted his shoulder. Even though he remained dejected, he nonetheless followed her lead once she started moving. School may have been boring beyond comprehension but mocking her boyfriend's lack of luck was not.

 _"...he's too good to belong to you..."_

Right, the bitch in her head was still there.

 _"So rude."_

Dammit all!

* * *

More than a few hours had passed since they set their plans into motion.

Groceries had been gotten and the two had wasted little time in heading to his dorm. Only, it was not nearly close enough to being time to start preparing for dinner. There was plenty of daylight out and time was in abundance. Having said that, Kamijou had convinced her to give him some much needed help with his homework assignments. If honesty was a must, then she suspected that this was an ulterior motive behind his 'lazy date' suggestion. In the same vein, she too had some assignments that needed to be completed.

Consequently, that was what they had ended up doing after they had arrived at Kamijou's dorm and put away their grocery haul.

Even now she felt as though she had somehow been conned.

Either she was over-thinking it or her boyfriend was getting clever. Regardless, it did not take too long to finish their individual assignments. Furthermore it killed a bit of time before Touma would go ahead and start working on dinner. Adversely, it did not eat up enough to warrant them sitting around doing nothing but watching TV for the next couple hours. Kamijou, without much thought, suggested to play some games to pass the time. Being utter shit at most games in general as she was, this Mugino had declined. So while he booted up some fighting game, she had opted to fish out her tablet and get back to doing some reading.

That had been her initial plan.

"Low kicks! Use low kicks dammit!"

"He'll just counter it, pin me to the wall, and lock me in an endless combo! Besides, I'm not a spammer!"

Somewhere along the line she found herself sitting cross-legged on his bed. The pillow currently in her lap served as her personal punching bag as her cutthroat nature kicked in. It was also an environmental censor-bar to keep from unintentionally flashing the unmentionables beneath her skirt. Not its intended function, this was a private place so it was fine, but she did acknowledge it for its secondary purpose.

"He can't counter for shit so abuse the hell out of those low kicks jackass!"

"Why are you such a competitive spectator all of a sudden Shizuri!?"

One reason was because she got tired of seeing him lose. Considering how he often teased her about her own lacking skills, it was hypocritical and frustrating to see him lose so easily. At first she had dished out some well-deserved payback for all the times he taunted her about it. But after that string of back-to-back losses, this was the closest he has gotten to winning. And this time she was actively trying to be supportive.

"Oh shit, back up-back up-back up!"

"Shut up-shut up! You're not heeeeeelping!"

For the moment, she complied and continued to watch with a startling amount of focus. Personally she did not think she would be this into it. Yet here she was, strangling a pillow as she watched her boyfriend continue to make exaggerated movements with his arms and the controller. Eventually, the match had reached its conclusion as the 'Winner' sign flashed onto the screen. And in that instant, Kamijou's back flopped against the side of his mattress seemingly exhausted as he groaned. Somehow that degree of exhaustion had spread to her as she also flopped over onto her side; her right arm dangling off the side of his bed.

"Holy hell that was painful to watch."

"Please don't start."

In light of his victory, she decided to cut him a break this one time. With a soft chuckle, she extended her dangling arm out with her palm and fingers flat. A soft 'clap' followed shortly after, making both herself and Kamijou chuckle in mild satisfaction. With the hype dying down and light from the outdoors growing dimmer, she fished out her phone to check the time. 4:54 pm, a good time to go ahead and get started on making dinner or close enough to that time. Before she would though, there was one last thing she needed to go ahead and get out of the way first.

"Hey Kamijou, mind if I use your bath?"

"Sure, it's all yours." Responded the boy casually as his spiky head lulled forward, seemingly recovered from his exhaustion. "You left a few things over here from last week. I went ahead and washed them so you should have some clean clothes to wear when you get out. I left them in the laundry room on top of the dryer."

"Thanks, I'll be sure leave my underwear here for you as a souvenir."

Her jest was met with silence as she sat up and pulled herself down the length of the bed. It was as she was getting off of it that she took a moment to peek at his face. He had not looked her way, but she could plainly see how red Kamijou's face had become. Such a sight was enough to cause the edges of her lips to rise into a cocky smile.

"...you're not funny."

The grin on her face was almost painful.

His prudish nature never failed to amuse her. Opposed to verbally teasing him, she carried on her way towards the laundry room. But not in a casual way, for she was intentionally swaying her hips as she walked. One last fleeting glance as she was entering told her that he had been watching. Her laughter rebounded off the walls as she closed to the door, unable contain her mirth any longer. Being promiscuous was always a fun way to get rise out of Kamijou. Especially when it was here, in his dorm, where it was only the two of them.

 _"Ahem~"_...dammit, she's still here. _"I also agree with the gentleman, your humor ability is very poor."_

Nobody asked you bitch!

Clicking her tongue, she stepped inside the bathroom to get the bath running before heading back to the previous room. Before proceeding further, she checked to make sure that her clothes were where Kamijou said they were. Once his claim was confirmed, she promptly stripped herself down, grabbed her necessities, and went back inside the bathing area.

 _"You know, if you acted in that manner all the time, you probably would not have such an awful reputation."_

Mugino could feel her brow twitching whilst she turned off the bath water. Besides that and the scowl, no other form of displeasure surfaced on her features. Humoring that voice any further was not going to make her go away any faster.

 _"Ignoring me is not going to help you much either."_

Okay, now she was getting progressively more and more pissed with each little quip the voice offered. It was getting to such a degree that her hand started to shake as it formed into a tight fist. She could feel her nails pinching against the flesh of her palm; threatening to break the dampened skin they were pressing into. Yet as the warm spray from the shower head consistently fell upon her, she felt her hand relax. After taking a couple deep breaths to let her flaring temper gradually dissipate, she returned to the task at hand. Nothing could be done about this minor and unwanted annoyance that was consistently pestering her.

For better or worse, she would just have to tolerate it the best she could and that meant not losing herself to anger.

Tempting as the idea was, succumbing to that urge was not going to amount to anything right this minute.

 _"That's interesting, I had heard that you were very susceptible to provocation. I was not aware that you were putting an effort into properly managing your anger power."_

Mugino actually paused part-way through the process of washing her hair at this. Honestly that was something she herself had not really noticed. Not the provocation part; she knew that better than anyone. Neither was the part about her aggression being common knowledge. The part about her trying to manage it was a relatively new thing to have someone else take notice of. It was something that she never put any thought into up until now. Come to think of it, the others had mentioned in passing that she seemed...different as of late. At the time she thought they were talking about her dates which she aptly called 'appointments'.

Now...now she wasn't so sure if that was the only thing they were referring to.

 _"You did not notice it yourself?"_ Mugino's verbal retort was a growl and nothing more as her hands went back to work. _"Well then, this is a delightful surprise~ In fact this whole affair has proven to be an enlightening experience. Hee hee, I never would have suspected that I would be learning_ _ **this**_ _much about the #4's secret little life."_

For fuck's sake, shut up!

Damn this bitch should thank whatever God exists that this Mugino did not have her phone.

 _"I disagree, I think it's you who should be counting her blessings. I had hoped that I would be able to take complete control over you. Unfortunately, as much as I hate to admit it, those ability dampeners don't perform as well as I'd like them to on a Level 5."_

...wait, what?

 _"Oh my, did it not cross your mind?"_ Smug, her voice sounded way too smug and Shizuri did not like that one bit. _"Don't worry, the effect power of those drugs aren't permanent. The suppressant should wear off eventually...not sure when exactly. Oh, but don't worry, it isn't an experimental drug with any dangerous side-effects. Doctors primarily use them in hospitals for Espers who have passive abilities. It is meant to be administered with typical anesthetics so they can operate without the patient subconsciously using their powers."_

Well...that was quite a bombshell to drop on such short notice. She sure as shit had not expected to be flat out told that she had been drugged. When did this happen and why hadn't she noticed it? How long had this girl been keeping tabs on her? A week, a month, or had it been longer than that? If that was the case, why had she chosen now of all times to act?

Questions for later.

 _"Questions that I will not be answering~"_

Annoying bitch.

An audible squeak filled the bathroom as she cut off the water to the showerhead. With her body now properly cleaned and rinsed off, she bound her hair into a messy high knot before moving on to the tub. She did not even bother to suppress the soft but satisfactory sigh as her body eased itself into the hot water. It was not until her head eventually rested on the edge of the tub that her descent ceased. All throughout her eyes remained focused on the ceiling above as she watched the steam continuously rise off the water's surface. A few moments of gazing off into space led to her eyelids closing; savoring the feeling for all that it was worth.

Damn did she need this.

A nice quiet moment to just lie there and relax.

Granted the tub wasn't as spacious as the one in her apartment, it was still sufficient for her current needs. No ITEM, no jobs, no phone, no issues that required her immediate attention. Well, okay, there was one issue still in play, but it seems like it had gone quiet all of a sudden. Hard to say if the owner of the voice was being courteous or simply had nothing to say at the moment. Either of these two choices suited this Mugino just fine. Having to listen to all those mental jabs in her head for half a day had been a real test on her patience. On that note, she probably should send Takitsubo a text after this to get a read on where this telepath was at.

For now, however, she would focus on relaxation and let the hot bath alleviate some stress.

 _"Do your breasts float in water as well?"_ A single eye opened part-way to glare heatedly at the ceiling; accompanied by a low growl rumbling at the center of her throat. _"I always found it irritating, especially when I wear swimsuits. With your breast power, I'm curious to know if you have also experienced a similar discomfort."_

The growling ceased a few moments after this question was asked.

"...sometimes."

 _"Hee hee, I knew it~ It seems like I finally found someone who understands the burdens that come with a mother's maturity!"_

"I swear..."

Her words sounded pretty languid, sluggish even, as if she were dozing off to sleep. Which was a big contrast to her earlier hostility. All that implied was that, excluding the unwanted disturbance, she was beginning to feel at a bit lightheaded. This effect came as no surprise to her due to the tranquil atmosphere this entire setting was providing. Shizuri had already shamelessly made herself as comfortable as possible inside the tub. At any rate, it was unlikely that she would be leaving this space any time soon. All she needed now was an inflatable pillow and she would be in business. Comfortable as she was, the hard edge of the tub was making her neck feel stiff.

Mental note: buy one and stash it somewhere here in Touma's dorm for future use.

 _"buy -butsubutsu- hide in gentleman's -butsubutsu- future use aaand note added!"_

This time both of Mugino's eyelids partially opened to stare vacantly up at the ceiling.

...this was almost certainly the weirdest mind-link she had ever unwillingly been a part of...

* * *

A little over half an hour had passed since Shizuri had entered the bath.

So it was of no surprise to her that, when she came out, her boyfriend was not in front of the TV. Instead he was in the kitchen, currently in front of the stove, and in the process of making dinner. Much like herself, he had also changed into more comfortable clothing before getting to work. And already it appeared as though he had made a great deal of progress. A variety of appealing aromas had assaulted her nostrils before she even opened the laundry room door. Most prominently among the various smells she detected being cooked beef and pork. The latter of which Kamijou was currently working on at the stove as his eyes flickered over at her.

"You were in there awhile, how was the bath?"

It would've been better without a certain nuisance jabbering in her head for half of it.

"Great for the most part," Responded the girl with a shrug as she peered into the kitchen area. "So we're having Katsu Curry tonight?"

"Yup, I figured we might as well since a lot of the stuff we brought back makes for a good curry dish." Whereas his attention did not leave the stove it did not diminish the exuberance present in his voice as he worked. "Not only that, with the amount I made, there should be some leftovers for me to heat up for tomorrow. Hope you've got a big appetite, 'cause I'm going all out with this one."

Posting herself by the doorway, Mugino felt her lips rise into a small smile while watching him work. Simple pride over a simple meal, nothing less could be expected from Kamijou. Then again most boys around their age were not all too impressive with their culinary skills. He himself admitted that he was no gourmet chef, but the things he could make were good. A fact that she herself could attest to since, so far, he had not made a single dish that she did not like. All the same, nothing that he made was worth truly boasting about. Which was okay, she supposed, considering how much he seemed to enjoy the task in question.

This was not something he did as a means to show off; at least not entirely. She was not so ignorant to suspect that he enjoyed having some company to share a meal with. It sure as hell beat spending an evening alone in front of the TV and eating some noodles from a cup. Lethargic as he oftentimes appeared, this was one of the few activities he openly displayed some zeal about doing. Having her here with him as a dinner guest probably severed as his motivation. Whether or not he was as enthusiastic about it when he was cooking alone was up in the air. Clearly though, in all of the times he was catering for the two of them, he rarely looked happier.

So it was reasonable enough to assume that Kamijou was aiming to impress her.

Not surprisingly, that awareness caused a sense of smug satisfaction to swell up inside of her.

 _"He'll make a good wife someday with that cooking power."_

Despite the source of this comment, Mugino could not stop herself.

Her laughter actually succeeded in breaking Touma's focus as he looked over his shoulder in her direction. The confusion on his face, the apron, the current position of his person in front of the stove. All these things piled up together and only made her laughing fit worse. She tried to wave it off, disregard her abrupt mirth, but she honestly could not control herself.

"What?"

She could not stay here anymore without that mental image burning itself into her brain. For that reason Mugino stepped out of the kitchen area and towards the living room; shaking her head all throughout. Once there she made herself comfortable at his table before turning the television on in search of something to watch. Movies, TV shows, anything would do so long as it was something they could mutually agree on. Despite her intent though, she could not for the life of her get that image out of her head. It kept popping up and it kept the smile on her face from receding.

It was a good joke by the voice in her mind, that much Mugino could honestly acknowledge.

She still fully intended to gut her later though.

She had not forgotten about all those little snide comments she was making earlier.

 _"...about that."_

Which part, you being eviscerated or the snide remarks?

 _"I don't think this is the best time to mention this. However, I believe it is only fair to inform you that those were not my personal thoughts or opinions. Quite the opposite actually; they belonged to you."_

Horseshit.

That's got to be the worst lie she had ever heard.

 _"Believe what you want, but I believe my frankness ability has been in effect since the very beginning."_ Gone were the frivolous overtones Mugino had become accustomed to hearing from the voice. It sounded genuinely serious this time in spite of the few spikes of playful undertones that still lingered. _"I have been completely transparent with you since the moment I entered your mind. Why fabricate something like this rather than, say, the AIM Dampening drugs? The answer is pretty self-explanatory; I am either not lying to you at all or I have been lying to you over these past couple hours. Between these two options, which sounds more likely?"_

Mugino had long since stopped channel surfing.

She had also since stopped laughing and smiling.

All her focus was directed towards the voice in her head.

 _"Go on, formulate an educated guess based on what information you have available. You have a high intelligence power and are an equally experienced individual; neither of which are being denied by me. Having said that, you should already be aware that I have peeked into your mind and I have seen the things that you have done. However, I do not only 'see' the events taking place within a specific memory. I can also 'hear' things within them as well. The things I heard you say, both aloud and within your own mind, were atrocious. And amidst those thoughts, I happened to come across a few phrases that caught my notice."_

Mugino's jaw began to clench along with her fist.

Even a casual observer would see the murderous intent in her hateful eyes at this point.

 _"Those phrases, the 'snide comments' you accused me of sharing never belonged to me. These doubts you have are not fabrications made by me, it is you #4 who has these thoughts. These were personal attacks and criticisms you had directed at yourself at one point or another. All I was doing was reading them off to you like a script. To add further legitimacy power to it, I made sure to recite the most recent ones I found in your memories. Frankly I'm surprised with how self-aware and honest you are about yourself. It truly shows how far your ethical abilities have changed since the beginning of your union with the gentleman."_

In the place of the remote was her phone.

Said device was open, her thumb punching in the numbers.

All she had to do was hit send and this fucking twat was hers; no matter where she chose to hide.

 _"One thing keeps bothering me,"_ Make this last question count; it'll be the last chance you'll ever get at asking it. _"No matter how deep I searched, I never found one thing. I see it in your thoughts but I never heard you say them aloud. Peculiar, given how much you seem to cherish that gentleman I was expecting to hear it at least once. Perhaps under your breath, in your private moments, but I found it nowhere; not once._ "

She was making a show of this for the sake of stalling, the filthy bitch. Her thumb was still hovering over the 'Send' button on her phone. Unfortunately the voice had peaked her interest just enough to keep her from pushing it. Only because she was curious as to what this set of words were that she had not expressed.

 _"The only assumption I can conclude is that, deep down, you do not think you deserve to say those words."_ Quit stalling and get to the point; her teeth were starting to hurt. _"Fine, fine, I'm of course referring to-"_

Whatever the voice had planned to say through the mental connection was silenced. In the same instant that her words ended, Mugino a certain someone's finger pressing against her forehead. Amber brown eyes shot up to meet with dark blue one's staring down at her; looking perplexed. A quick glance showed that Kamijou was holding a plate in his other hand another while her own was sitting on the table in front of her. Her focus must have surpassed a certain threshold because she had no awareness of anything prior to this moment. Having said that, the tension in her jaw lessened alongside her fist once it fully registered to her.

"You looked pretty out of it there for a second." Remarked the boy, eyes shifting between her face and the phone as his hand pulled away. "Did you get a bad call or text from someone again? You don't usually look this mad unless it's them and they always pop up at the worst time."

"...oh, well it's...sorta." Exasperated, the girl snapped the device shut as she sighed. "Don't worry about it, it's nothing."

Kamijou's brow furrowed out of skepticism, but nevertheless he respected her request and left it alone. And as he made his way around the table to take his place at her side, she had plucked the plate off the table. By smell alone, the curry was great and by the default it should have tasted better. However her soured mood had dampened the impact that the meal otherwise would have had. It was good, really good, but she could not enjoy it. Her mind was in disarray, swelling with thoughts as well as questions she was not sure she wanted answers for. Primarily the question of what set of words the voice wanted to mention before being abruptly cut off.

On one hand, she was glad that the connection had been severed.

On the other hand, she could only speculate on what the voice had intended to say.

A few bites into her meal and she could hear Touma's body settling beside her. A few fleeting looks showed that he still looked concerned, still apprehensive, yet he retained his silence. Touma never pried into her personal business, not unless she let him. The withstanding issue at hand was that she was not sure how long his patience would last. How long would he continue to keep out of it? At what point would he finally start asking for answers to questions she was not ready to respond to? She knew they were there, she most certainly knew that he had more than a few concerns worth addressing.

Which was precisely the reason why that voice succeeded so much in riling her up.

Shizuri was aware of the truths that the voice had brought to light. Denying it was pointless, there would come a day where her dirty laundry would be exposed. It was unavoidable, it _would_ happen, and there was no stopping it. The only control Shizuri had at her disposal was when it happened and even that was not too great of an advantage. The reason why was pretty self-explanatory despite her own unwillingness to admit it vocally.

Sure it was unexciting and yes it was monotonous but those things did not serve as a hindrance to her enjoyment. Being around Touma was just...interesting and, plainly speaking, fun to her. He kept her grounded, helped put her mind at ease, and genuinely cared about her in spite of all her faults. Through him she experienced the good life, the one she would have had if circumstances had been different. Cliché as it may sound, the experiences she shared with him were reminiscent to that of a drug. And like any person exposed to a hard drug, she developed an addiction to it.

Once she got a taste of this 'good life' Mugino found that she could not simply put it down.

Actually that is inaccurate; it was not that she _could not_ but rather she _did not_ _want_ to put it down. It satiated her, gave her something she did not know she wanted until after she had gotten it. Similar to the saying of not knowing what you have until it's gone. Conversely, in her case, she knew exactly what she had and because of that, in a display of pure selfishness, she lied. From the moment of its conception, however, she knew it would not remain buried forever.

Someday, somehow, it would come to see the light of day.

And that awareness was constantly weighing down on her heart.

"..."

Again, amber brown orbs shifted towards the boy beside her. His face had gone back to being unenthused as his eyes remained glued to the television. Seems as though Kamijou certainly did allow the subject to drop entirely. Problem was that she was now putting more and more thought into it the longer the silence remained.

"...hey, Kamijou,"

"Hn?"

Mugino had the detonator in her hand and thereby the means to potentially end everything in an instant. With four words, she could either strengthen or outright destroy this grand illusion. Literally four powerful words were all that were necessary to begin the most important discussion of their relationship. Her chance to confess all truths regarding her and the second life she lived was right here. The ball was in her court now, all she needed to do was say the words.

With her boyfriend looking ingenuously back at her, the girl with soft tea hair had made her choice.

"...you'll make a great wife someday."

She was afraid and thus she upheld the lie.

"So _that's_ what you were laughing about earlier!"

It was a choice that never got easier, no matter how many times she consciously made it. More damning than that, she still had the audacity to laugh heartily at his distress. To continue smiling, continue lying and selfishly choosing to prolong the fantasy. Just a little bit more, let her enjoy this for just a little bit longer.

Eventually she will come clean.

Just was not today.

As long as Mugino continued to tell herself that, she would remain to be a gutless coward.

* * *

Night was in full swing by the time Mugino had parted ways with Kamijou. The lampposts were on, the sidewalks were mostly vacant, and overall the atmosphere was fairly calm and quiet. Curfew would be in effect within half an hour, which gave explanation for the lack of students occupying the streets. Although there were a few (ahem) unpleasant folks lurking and loitering about, they posed no threat to her. Maybe to her boyfriend, though; he had stubbornly chosen escorted her part of the way home. Knowing him and his luck, he most likely ran into a batch of those people and was running for dear life by now.

Poor jackass.

Having said that, he had originally offered to let her stay the night again. Tempting as it was, Shizuri already had a surplus of thoughts swimming through her head to sort through. There was only so much self-indulgence she could stomach before it got too uncomfortable to bear. Of course the reason she provided was that she had things she needed to get done tomorrow, thus giving cause to depart. But not before assuring him that she would come by again tomorrow to pick up the things she left there.

Another lie, another tally to be marked onto the board.

"Oh Mugino-saaan~"

Someone was calling out to her.

Pausing in her steps, who she found when she looked back admittedly brought about some surprise. Out of everyone, Frenda was not who she was expecting to find closing in on her when she turned around. Much less at this time of night when ITEM was considered 'off duty'. Wiry eyes watched as the blonde girl gradually closed the gap; having taken to moving at a leisure pace. The closer she got to the Level 5, the more her sweet gleeful grin became distinctive in the dark. At a distance of two meters from her, Mugino had enough and let out a long drawn-out sigh.

"First me, now Frenda," Stated the Meltdowner, arms crossed and an incredulous frown adorning her face. "Who else do you have pegged for possession, Hamazura?"

'Frenda' abruptly froze at the three feet mark, however the honey sweet smile did not vanish. If anything 'Frenda' started beaming brighter after hearing the #4's statement. A factor that reached the girl's blue eyes and somehow made the star within them become more pronounced.

"Hee hee. It doesn't surprise me how well acquainted you are with your friends, Mugino-san." Admitted the blonde in the same cheeky way as before adopting a more thoughtful expression. "Hmm, wonder what gave me away? I would have thought that it would have taken you a little bit longer to realize it."

"You mean besides the obvious star-lookin' thing in your eyes?" Remarked Mugino sarcastically before shaking her head dismissively. "Your connection to my mind was cut off mid-sentence and you're a twat who likes to hear herself talk. I had a good hunch that you wouldn't wanna leave it at that. Can't say who I was expecting you to take over but I was damn certain you'd come back to annoy me. On top of that, the honorific you used when you called out to me was a dead giveaway."

As the #4 was making this explanation, 'Frenda' had cycled through a variety of emotions. The one that she ultimately settled on was one of someone pouting, her cheeks inflated as she indignantly looked away with her arms crossed. Mugino could faintly make out a series of hushed words coming from the blonde's lips. Sadly, in spite of their close proximity, it was not coherent enough to be anything but gibberish to her. Which was fine by her, she had more to say to the voice that now controlled the shorter lass.

"I've had plenty of time to think about what you were going to say." Shizuri's amber brown orbs remained impassive as the girl's attention was drawn back to her. "It didn't take long to figure out; hell I wasn't even half-way done with my dinner before it came to me. So, unless you've got something important to say, get lost. I've had to deal with enough of your shit for one day, Mental Out."

Now Mugino did not know what she was expecting in terms of reactions. Surprise, bewilderment, alarm, or maybe a mixture of every one of those things. Whatever she expected was not what she ended up receiving. Opposed to any of the aforementioned emotional responses, the #4 was given something completely different. The blonde haired girl spread her arms wide and ultimately brought one hand up to her eye in a horizontal peace sign. As she gave the Meltdowner a casual wink, Mugino could not help but feel as though this was oddly appropriate.

Sure as hell looked like something the Seivelun would do.

"Bingo~ Shokuhou Misaki, Academy City's #5 Level 5, at your service~" Without a care in the world, Misaki exposed every relevant detail regarding her identity with unabashed glee. "Hee hee. It looks like I underestimated your deduction abilities. They turned out to be more impressive than I initially believed."

"It wasn't hard," Dismissed the #4 while her visage and tone grew increasingly more languid. "There aren't many espers in the city who can do what you can. Even if they could, most are not at a high enough level to affect me or stupid enough to try doing it. What tipped me off the most was when you were yapping about 'seeing' and 'hearing' my past memories. From there, all I had to do was use the process of logical reasoning."

For example: How many Espers could both see and hear a past memory?

Another example: How many Espers were at a high enough Level to get inside a Level 5's mind?

Yet another example: How many Espers, that she knew of, were capable of those feats on top of the ability to take over a person's mind?

Basically, it just came down to putting these sorts of traits into one pot and determining who fit the criteria. Which, as she had already said, was not difficult since there were so few who matched the categories specified. Based on what she knew, it supplied Mugino with enough knowledge to draw upon that conclusion. Personal experience with the fellow Level 5 notwithstanding since she only had second-hand sources to draw upon.

"Hmm, now that I think about it," Began Frenda, or should we say Misaki, foregoing the pose and adopting a thoughtful expression; complete with the repeated tapping of her chin. "How do we proceed from here, Meltdowner? Are you still intending to find me? Do you still want to come try and kill me?"

Scoffing, Mugino turned away from the individual currently using Frenda as a platform and began to walk.

"Had you been anyone else, I would be on my way there right this minute."

Unfortunately, the clacking of Frenda's pumps against the concrete told her that Misaki was not letting the matter drop.

"Buuut?"

Such an inquisitive little bee.

"I don't like wasting time and effort on someone I'm not getting paid to kill." Continued the girl, carrying on in her advancement home with her eyes remaining locked on the path ahead. "Piss off the wrong people and I might come after you. If the price is worth the effort, then I'll definitely be paying you a visit in person."

The odds of that happening were slim; very slim in fact.

Slimmer than the likelihood of that statement being the end of their discussion.

"But Mugino-saaan, there is still one unresolved issuuue~" Misaki's, well Frenda's actually, sing-song voice rung out along the mostly vacant stretch of concrete. "You knew what I was referring to before my connection was abruptly cut off. But you did not explain why I never heard them spoken out loud."

Interestingly enough, this was the statement that brought Mugino to a halt. This prompted 'Frenda' to stop as well in preparation for whatever was to come next. Maybe she expected the infamous Meltdowner to demonstrate one of her spontaneous, anger induced, outbursts. It could be that the #5 believed Mugino would not inflict harm on her friend. Dead wrong as she was, physical harm was not the motive or intent behind her abrupt stop.

"...so that's it?" It was less of a question and more like self-assertion; although for some reason she sounded amused. "Wow, you came back here just to ask me something like that. It's almost sad how desperate you are to hear something that's obvious."

"...pardon me?"

Mugino's body partially turned far enough to see 'Frenda's' perplexed facial expression.

Adding fuel to the fire of confusion, Mugino had suddenly let out a few tired chuckles as her head shook from side-to-side..

"For someone who's been in my head for almost an entire day," Tauntingly, Mugino emphasized this by tapping the side of her head with her finger; sneering at the blonde as she did so. "You're pretty fuckin' dim #5. I'd tell you to figure it out your-fucking-self like I had to. But I'm in a better mood now than I was when you were sifting through my memories. I'll even say it nice and slow so you can understand it."

Slowly the mocking quality in her voice gradually began to fade. Alongside it was the amusement as her general attitude turned stern, composed, and solemn. Within the blink of an eye, Mugino looked like the part of a murderer. Dead eyes peering back at a relatively innocent girl who was never placed in a circumstance in which she was forced to kill. Throughout this, she applied every bit of her focus onto the eyes of whom she was speaking to. Not the puppet, not Frenda; she was peering through her to gaze at the girl who was pulling the strings.

No malice, no hostility, no strong negative emotions at all.

Just a void of amber brown piercing back at her through the darkness of the night.

"You already know, you've seen the things that I've done. There are things I can't tell him and many more that I don't want to share. I made the choice to keep those things a secret so I could comfortably be a part of the same world he lives in. It didn't sit well with me, I couldn't stomach it, so I compromised. I will never say those words to him until I'm able to wipe the slate clean of those lies. It's like you said, I don't deserve to say those words to him; not with the way things are right now. When I don't have to hide my lies to keep what I have is when I'll earn the right to say them. Until then, I won't, and that's how it'll stay."

Misaki, despite everything, was at a loss for words.

Frankly speaking, she had been under the assumption that her distasteful lifestyle was the root cause. Reading her mind was not necessarily required to gather that much. Mugino's answer, however, was far more informative than what she was initially expecting. In a way, it reminded Misaki of Jenga. By her own account, Meltdowner had come this far through secrecy and lies. If she was to say those words to him, would they be interpreted as being genuine or another lie? No matter how authentic those words were, they would ultimately come crumbling down in much the same way as everything else.

It took one wrong block for the entire tower to collapse.

Henceforth, Mugino had forgone the notion of voicing her innermost feelings. She could express them in other ways, however she could never voice them. He was unmistakably someone she valued as dear and precious. Yet, no matter how genuine those feelings were, they would come off as empty and hollow in end. To truly be at ease, to be able to fully embrace that which she wanted most, she had to clean the slate. To be truthful about her past deeds, be forthright about her sins, and finally be absolved of these things. When these criteria are met, then she could she finally bring herself to be happy and honest to both herself and him.

Misaki could only imagine how terrifying that last step must be.

"I've answered your question," Spoke the girl suddenly, drawing the #5 out from her own musings. "But before I go I wanna make one thing clear. You stay away from him, understand? If I catch you so much as breathing in his general direction, your dead. School Garden won't be a big enough place to hide you. No amount of piss-ant Espers will be able to protect you either. Go near him and your signing your own death warrant; got it bitch?"

Facing such open hostility was nothing new to Misaki. With how much it had been directed at her mentally, this was not nearly as intimidating. Even the murderous intent was not so excessive that it would break her down into a nervous wreck. It did, however, make her sweat a bit; not a lot but enough to make her swipe at her brow. Nevertheless, 'Frenda' simply smiled in a jovial fashion before standing straight and saluting. An action that would have been much more serious if her tongue was not poking out from between her lips.

"Aye aye~!"

Whether or not her warning was heeded, Mugino turned back around to continue home. No other words were spoken, no further warnings were given. A key difference from before, however, was that 'Frenda' did not immediately move to catch up. After the #4 had turned away, Frenda's cheery disposition leveled out to be far less expressive. Eventually, once a good amount of distance stood between them, 'Frenda' heaved a sigh heavy enough to make her shoulders drop.

If only that AIM Dampener had been stronger.

Sadly she had already commanded the crooked fellow to turn himself in to Anti-Skill. By now he was probably in a jail cell, or being interrogated about how he got his hands on it. Said follow had caught her notice purely by chance. Even if she did not like the #4, a stranger slipping drugs into a person's system was a big no-no. It was not until she found out what he had been trying to drug her with that Misaki grew curious. From that curiosity came the realization that she could slip herself into the Level 5's mind. Temptation was her crime, she saw an opportunity and took it without hesitation.

"Hee hee! It's been such a long time since I last heard him! It's so good to see that he hasn't changed much since then!"

'Frenda' sported the brightest smile ever produced while suffering from a fit of giggling laughter. Nobody could blame her since she had been maintaining her composure this whole time. Her excitement was bound to burst out eventually. And after almost a year without contact, she had managed to finally get close to him without arising any suspicions. Right there, she had been there next to him the whole time! He was so close to her, _so close_ that she could vividly recall his voice in her ear even now! Elated did not properly measure to how much this event meant to her on a personal level.

Had that drug been just a smidgeon stronger she might have had a chance. A chance to take over the #4 and touch him, speak to him, laugh with him, and so much more. So much time lost to be regained, so many things she wished to say to him. Unfortunately, this was the moment where the grim reality of life reared its disillusioned head. With it came to subsequent dimming of that girl's radiant smile and laughter. Misaki's puppet mirrored her own emotions, her face becoming increasingly more and more cheerless.

"I suppose it was good enough to see that you haven't changed much since then." Bitterly spouted the girl to no one in particular. "I don't know what you see in her, but I am glad she somehow makes you happy."

From there, she cast a glare down the path where the #4 had gone. 'Frenda' then proceeded to pull down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out in that direction. Very unladylike, equally childish, and lastly a very telling display of her own pettiness. That Meltdowner had no idea how fortunate she was. To someone like Shokuhou, being in a position the #4 was in was only attainable in her dreams. She could hold on to hope that someday that may change; to hold on to the belief that miracles can indeed happen.

Hopefully that day comes, no matter how futile or unrealistic that may seem to others.

Until then...

Beep!

"H-huh?" Frenda, now free of the Mental Out's control, was left in a state of visible confusion. "Basically, what was I doing again?"

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

First and foremost: Fuck you FanFiction for not letting me use ALT code symbols!

Ahem.

Whew! I'm gonna be honest, I loved this chapter. Misaki in general is probably my second favorite; she's too sweet to hate but that's my opinion. That and she is a big contrast to Mugino in regards to personality. And that clash of contrasting personalities felt really fun to explore here. I've always wanted to do this, have those two interact in some fashion. Granted I know you lot were expecting more fluffy moments between Touma and Mugino this chapter. Sadly, it did not come to that and thus it's focus was primarily on Misaki and Mugino. I thought it was necessary since it did expand on a few plot points, terms I use loosely, that deserved some attention.

Don't worry, I swear you'll get your nice fluffy moments with those two, but this chapter, I felt, needed to happen.

I mean, you can't just explore one person's perspective in chapter's like these. Misaki was just the most convenient means to explore the Meltdowner's mindset. Plus, I did say in the past that there were gonna be other 'Sore Loser' interactions in future chapters. A bit unfair as far that is concerned since Kumokawa Seria didn't get (basically) a full chapter dedicated to her. I'll have to make it up to her in the future, I don't know, we'll see. But, more importantly, don't think this is the last time you'll see Misaki or Seria. As far as when you see them again, that's for me to know and you guys to keep guessing.

Also, before I get called out on it, be aware that I already know how much of a stretch this chapter may be to some of you. The AIM Dampener, I can admit to being something that was made up. At the very least I tried to rationalize its existence and purpose beyond just being a plot device. I'm still probably gonna get shit for it, to which I say 'bring it'. I was dead-set on having a reason behind how Misaki got into Mugino's head and that was what I came up with. If that is a major criticism you've got, I'll kindly and happily accept it.

Can't argue with the results though. My editor thought that it was pretty funny seeing Misaki constantly annoying Mugino the entire time. He even suggested that she was enjoying a big bowl of popcorn as she constantly pestered the #4. On that note, let's not forget to give a shout out to _**FrodoFighter**_ for taking the time to edit this chapter for me. What a swell guy, someday I hope I learn how to be as awesome as he is.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	13. Preliminary

Greetings to all!

So...Red Dead 2 was...fun I suppose.

Sorry to keep you lot waiting!

* * *

In a typical time in a typical diner, the same typical story was playing out the same typical way. Namely, the group known as ITEM, sitting in a booth, carrying on their usual activities once they were assembled. From reading off articles in magazines to seemingly taking a nap in the cushioned seats. Nothing about this group of girls appeared out of place from a casual viewpoint. Although, one could immediately gauge that there was a strange air surrounding the group as a whole. Primarily, and most obviously, coming from a certain blond who was insistently tapping her finger against the tabletop.

"What's taking that idiot so long?" Growled out the blonde, the increased pace of her finger showcasing her impatience. " Basically he had one job, bring me a few cans of mackerel and that's all. Can't he even do that right?"

"What do you expect?" Kinuhata's nonchalant response came with a shrug before flipping to another page in her magazine. "It's not that hard to picture Hamazura finding a way to somehow screw up something super simple."

Takitsubo, who was in fact not napping at the moment, slouched further down into the seat. Aside from her thousand yard stare standing strong, she had remained silent. Huffing audibly, the blonde offered no further comment; causing a spell of silence to once more settle itself at the booth. Actually, there was one person who had yet to speak up. But the reason for their silence was not due to a lack of interest. Neither was it due to that person's inability to add any more input into the conversation currently in play. Surely, among the lot of them, she would have a bag full of critical remarks that could be directed at ITEM's little lackey.

No, the reason for this silence was not a result of those things; but because said person was not there. The fourth spot reserved for ITEM's infamous leader, Mugino Shizuri, was left vacant, empty, and devoid of her presence. This would not be pressing concern if today had been the first time this had happened. The same could be said if this had been the second day in a row regarding her absence. Yet it was not the second day or the third day of absence. To be frank, that seat belonging to the Level 5 had been empty for almost two weeks now.

That made it long past the point of being abnormal.

"Basically, did either of you tell Mugino we were meeting up here?"

"I sent her a text earlier." Plainly responded Kinuhata once again, leveling the blonde with an equally plain expression from over her magazine. "You wanna super guess what her response was?"

Frenda merely sighed, prompting Saiai to go nod as she went back to her magazine. The blonde already knew what sort of reply the #4 had given. It had not changed much (or at all) since the first couple times she or any of the ITEM members had asked her.

'I'm busy.'

Translation:

'Don't bother me.'

The fact that this sort of reply had become the norm for them was off-putting. The day this started had been the same; having abruptly taken off without a word upon getting an undisclosed text later that evening. That had been the point where her string of absences begun. She was still taking on jobs, many of which were done by her lonesome. This persisted into the early hours of the morning, or so they could surmise since she hardly came home unless it was to get a change of clothes. On top of that, she had seemed to be in a heightened state of aggression.

Even more so than usual; making it _un_ usual.

This acted as a natural deterrent for the girls _not_ go snooping into her business. Sure, the temptation had been strong throughout that stretch of time. Especially when she finally did come home sporting a splint on her wrist. Yet, in the end, they simply left the matter alone and such is the way they have kept it since. At the time they were under the impression that things would go back to normal. Mugino's behavior would settle, she would fall back into her usual routine, and that would be the end of it. She would be right where she was supposed to be, they would go back to doing their jobs, and life would pick up right where it had abruptly left off.

Although Mugino's behavior did settle, things did not go back to normal.

Despite still doing jobs, things did not return to the way it used to be. Everyone here already knew what the root cause behind this change was. They did not need to stalk her to support their presumptions either. Kamijou Touma, the Meltdowner's secret boyfriend, was no doubt the cause for this.

"We should basically check up on them."

Another page was flipped in the magazine Kinuhata was reading.

"Someone sounds super interested."

Both the action and the response was reminiscent to a father reading a newspaper in the morning. Because, aside from that disinterested quip, no other reaction to this abrupt statement was made. This lack of interest was irritating in itself, never to mention the issue of how casually Frenda's suggestion had been dismissed.

"Can you blame me?" Nevertheless the blonde persisted, her legs crossing as her hand slapped twice against the table. "We've hardly seen Mugino for almost two weeks now. The only times we see her these days are during jobs and at home. Basically she's treating us less like a group and more like strangers. Doesn't that bother you even a little bit?"

"A bit, but that's super not the issue here." This time, when Kinuhata answered, she did so with a sigh as she put her reading material aside for the time being. "We don't know where she is or what she's doing. Sure, Takitsubo's AIM Stalker could fix that, but is that really worth using Body Crystal for? I super don't think so and I don't think she cares too much for it either."

Takitsubo, still expressing her lack of damns to give, lulled her head to the side to stare out the window. Both girls took this as a non-verbal confirmation that, yes, she was not too thrilled about that idea. To be fair, Takitsubo Rikou probably did not care for much of anything right now anyway. Not that she had much to worry about since neither of the girls had the drug on hand at the moment.

"Basically, there're other ways to find her." Seeing as how they would not be getting any input from her, Frenda decided to move the subject away from the AIM Stalker. "Worst comes to worse, we can just look for that Kamijou-guy's dorm and ask him."

"Right, and directly associate ourselves with someone we plan on tailing. Smart idea Frenda, super smart."

In lieu of being excluded from the topic, Takitsubo's vacant gaze remained engrossed on environment outside. Although, curiously enough, a certain degree of liveliness came about in her otherwise vacant gaze. Something on the other side of the window had caught her attention; more specifically a person. This, however, went unnoticed by the other girls occupying the booth.

"It-it doesn't have to be us. I'm not dumb and that's not what I was going to suggest. We could get someone else to ask him for us. It wouldn't be too hard to ask some random person off the street to do that. Give them a couple thousand yen and it should turn out fine."

"What if she's already there? You said before that Mugino keeps clothes there, so it stands to reason that she frequently visits his place. We can't just assume she's not there and if she is your whole plan would backfire."

As this discussion carried on without her, Takitsubo's gaze continued to follow the individual she was observing. From the moment she caught them on the sidewalk and up to them crossing over to her side of the street. Only after they had disappeared beyond her vision did the Level 4 perked herself up a bit. Perking up, in this case, meant lulling her head back to its frontal position and not slouching so low that her butt was basically out of the seat.

In other words, she was making herself look less like a rag-doll that had been haphazardly thrown onto a couch. All throughout her thousand yard gaze had set itself on the door to the restaurant's entrance.

"There's also another super big problem with that idea. If we just pluck up anyone off the street to do that, we're also drawing in unnecessary suspicion. Besides, who's to say this person doesn't just tell that Kamijou guy that some girls were asking about his girlfriend right then and there?"

Eventually, the telltale greeting from the staff rang out shortly before a familiar head of hair was spotted.

"That's what the bribe is for! Pay someone enough and they'll basically walk through hell barefoot. Listen, all we need to know is where her boyfriend's dorm is and the rest will be-HAMAZURA!"

Despite the slow approach, the rustling of a plastic bag must have been clue distinct enough for Frenda to catch wind of. Lo and behold, there he was standing there looking as dejected and annoyed as he always did. Credit needed to be given to the said blonde for trying his best to keep from grimacing openly. Sadly one does not get full credit for halfhearted efforts, because he was clearly failing to hide his growing contempt.

On another note, when did 'Hamazura' become synonymous with 'fine' or 'okay'?

Questions for later.

"Basically, you took forever!" Frenda's hand repeatedly slap the table again while her face clearly showed off her exasperation. "I've been waiting for almost twenty minutes here with nothing to eat!"

"You're in a restaurant," Reminded the blonde delinquent, his brow twitching as he vainly tried to sound reasonable. "If you were hungry, then you should have gotten something from here. It's not like you don't have a menu, it's on the table; I see it."

And indeed there was, right there, pushed to the furthest corner of the table away from the entire group. Furthermore it was closest to Frenda, meaning she either scanned it already or moved it aside the instant they sat down. The latter of the two seemed most likely, although they did order some drinks while they were waiting for him to show up it seemed.

No matter how right Hamazura Shiage was, however, he would always be wrong.

"But they don't serve mackerel," Exemplified by the female blonde's huffy retort, crossing her arms indignantly. "Plus canned mackerel tastes better."

"Then choose a different place! If you aren't gonna order something, pick a place that has some food you'd like! That hostess at the front was giving me a dirty look because of you!"

Apparently even lackey's are susceptible to temperamental outbursts from time to time. Sadly this came at a bad time since twin pairs of predatory eyes quickly settled themselves upon him. The likes of which causing him to break out into a mild case of the sweats.

"Oh, when did super Hamazura decide to grow a spine?"

"It's not me growing a spine, it common sense!

"Basically, he probably thinks he gets to mouth off now that Mugino isn't around."

Hamazura turned his head away to cough into his fist. Whether that was his method to composing himself or to avoid speaking on the matter was anyone's guess. Vaguely both Frenda and Kinuhata could make out the grumbled words being spoken under his breath. Something sounding like 'I'd have said it' or some other blatant lie of the sort. Rather than comment on it, Frenda just snickered as he fumbled with the plastic bag before putting it down on the table. Scummy as he was, Frenda had to admit that it was nice having a lackey on call. Especially when things like these cost her nothing since it was him who was paying for it.

She still intended to continue on with the discussion, that went without saying. Before that, however, food came first. Kinuhata had also acknowledged that this interruption was serving as a break. As such she picked up her magazine again and started flipping back to where she had left off. This left Takitsubo as the only person who acknowledged that Hamazura was still standing at the edge of the booth. In Frenda's haste to eat, she neglected to scoot over to let him sit down. That or she was purposely doing this to keep him from joining them; which was equally possible given (mostly) everyone's disdain with the dropout degenerate.

Speaking of the dropout, it appeared as though something was on his mind.

"Speaking of Mugino," Which he proceeded to voice aloud to the girls at the table. "Do any of you know why she's hanging around some nun right now?"

Three, count three, sets of eyes soon after found themselves focused on the blonde haired dropout.

"...guess that's a no."

Mnn...yeah.

That would be a safe assumption to make Hamazura.

* * *

Luck.

Sheer-damn-luck that Hamazura had found the Meltdowner and her companion not far from the restaurant. Less than half a block away from route he had come from and going in the opposite direction he had been going. From there it was just a matter of time for the Stalker Trio + one degenerate to discover their whereabouts. Of course there was a healthy degree of skepticism based on the person making the claim. For the throng of adolescent girls, it was a matter of them simply needing to see it to believe it. And so, with Hamazura as their guide, they went out to validate this outlandish claim of his.

Which brings us to where the Stalking Trio + 1 were now situated.

At a safe, but reasonable, distance away from the two ladies. Both of whom were currently strolling along, side by side, though it was not clear to the observers where the two were headed.

"...what do you know, super Hamazura was right."

Oh ye, of so little faith.

"Wait, you thought I was lying?"

To some degree, they probably did.

"Basically, I still can't believe I'm seeing this."

Your astonishment is diluted when you are currently stuffing your face Frenda.

"...you shouldn't talk with your mouth full..."

Takitsubo, do not ever change.

It was probably worth noting that none of the girls here were surprised by this sight. Well, they were, but not nearly as surprised as they would have been a couple months ago. Seeing Mugino Shizuri out and about on a Thursday afternoon with the most unprecedented company was indeed a strange sight to behold. Strange in the 'rising of the eyebrow' sort of fashion compared to being flat-out flabbergasted by it. At this point, the Stalker Trio had witnessed enough to not be as heavily impacted by strange occurrences like these. Enough, at least, for it to be blown out of proportion in an overly-animated fashion.

Although the surprise factor of this scene was considerably dimmed, their curiosity was not. In particular, they were focused on the shopping bags that were in Mugino's hand. They were no strangers to the Level 5's shopping sprees. ITEM as a whole, more often than not, participated in those affairs alongside her. Yes, that included Hamazura; for he was designated as their unwilling pack-mule. With this being said, it was worth noting that the amount of bags were not the equivalent to the amount of money she typically spent. There were not five or even seven bags on her person; instead there were only two.

A minor detail to some, but a critical one to those who actually knew the Meltdowner like they did.

"...I wonder what they're talking about..."

It took a second for everyone to realize that this was voiced by the Queen of don't-give-a-damn herself.

"Basically, Takitsubo, are you feeling okay?"

Yes, that question was necessary.

"That's the first time I've heard Takitsubo sound super interested."

Even the typically levelheaded Kinuhata was suffering from a mild case of mystification.

"Eh, really? She sounds 'bout the same to me."

...at least the lovable lout is honest.

Putting all that aside, Takitsubo's curiosity was something that was mutual. That, of course, could go on without being said. Obviously some may be more curious than others, nevertheless it was a conundrum that was most certainly worth looking into. For shit's sake, the Thousand-Yard Queen herself was curious as to what those two were doing. The sight alone was enough to draw her out of being impartial. This could not have been a clearer sign for them to investigate. By all rights that might as well have been a sign from the universe saying 'Go for it!' in bold lettering.

So no, motive was not (nor ever was) an issue at the moment.

What was an issue was how to approach them.

"There's too many of us to keep ourselves inconspicuous..." Fortunately Kinuhata was already working on a solution to that problem; which did not take long to come up with. "Hamazura, go get super close and tell us what they're saying."

"Wai-wha-hey! I'm not some farm animal you can casually send off to a slaughterhouse you know." Hamazura response, though sputtered at first, was peppered with justified displeasure. "I have nothing to do with this weird stalking-thing you've got going on. Besides, how do you expect me to tell you what's going on? It's not like I can use my phone like last time you had me do this. Maybe if I had a radio or a-"

His words were cut off by the muffled 'heehee' courtesy of Frenda. The blonde girl was already holding up two earpieces in her hand for the boy to see. Hamazura, however, could not help but note the smug expression on Kinuhata's face as she peered over her shoulder at him. She was not the only one looking at him either, as her expression was mirrored by Frenda as well. Takitsubo was the only one who looked genuinely hopeful, or as hopeful as someone like her would allow herself to seem. In other words, her typical vacant features looked a bit more lively than it would be under normal circumstances.

In this case, 'a bit' translated into a slight tilting of her head.

Beyond that there was hardly much of a difference.

"...you were secretly hoping for this, weren't you?" Hamazura's pathetic whimper was paired well with the grimace he was currently sporting. "Why the hell am I being delegated to being your damn eavesdropper?"

"Basically because your life is small and insignificant."

"And we'll super pummel you if you don't."

In retrospect, he should have seen that coming.

All the same, it only made him want to cry.

Here he was, being strong-armed into sneaking up on a Level 5 who made her contempt towards his presence very clear since day one. Not only that, but it was the same one he and Kinuhata had nearly been caught spying on the last time. Furthermore, this was (again) the same one that he had caught topless that one morning almost three weeks ago after that city-wide blackout. Same one who then proceeded to hand him the most thorough ass-whooping he had ever received in his life.

Ergo, with all of this being said, Hamazura had already accumulated a lot of stress. He had not done anything yet and he could already feel his legs shaking. Hence why no one would be surprised to know that he was on the verge of running for his life.

"Hamazura," Which may explain why Takitsubo's voice, his only source of light in this dismal situation, sounded almost heavenly to his ears. "...don't worry, you should be fine..."

 _Almost_ heavenly.

"...why do you sound so uncertain."

The AIM Stalker was a bit slow at correcting her little mistake.

"...you will be fine..."

It might have been his imagination, truly it could very well have been.

Still, Hamazura could swear he heard something that sounded suspiciously like 'probably' tacked on at the end there.

"Oi, w-why are you looking away as you're saying that?" Suffice to say the attempt to provide encouragement had backfired. "I'd appreciate the vote of confidence a lot more if you weren't looking at everything _but_ me. Try again, seriously try it again."

It was an indisputable fact that it was just the paranoia eating at him...right?

...

... _ **right**_!?

* * *

There exuded a certain amount of melancholy surrounding the individual known as Hamazura Shiage at this moment.

Although one would be hard pressed to notice it given how his body language was singing a completely different tune. The blonde delinquent looked more like a frightened animal that had been backed into a corner. Such an analogy may not be quite accurate considering 'flight' was often accompanied by the option of 'fight'. Clearly, based on appearances alone, he did not look ready to fight anything. Well, except maybe the temptation to run as far away as his legs could carry him.

In which case, perhaps that analogy is accurate after all.

"Basically, are you close enough to hear anything yet?"

No and he had half a mind to break the damn earpiece and book it right this minute! It was bad enough that they had practically strong-armed him into going through with this. Fearing for his life was not enough, he also had to listen to Frenda's voice ringing directly into his ear. All the while she and the rest of the girls were who knew where. Only clue he had was that they could see him, so he could assume that they were still close by. That did not provide him much comfort, if anything it made him feel worse. If he tried to high-tail it out of here then one of them would surely catch him before he could get far.

Essentially they had him trapped, hence the underlining gloomy aura around him.

On top of this, though unrelated to everything previously mentioned, the earpiece was uncomfortable as all hell. Something about the way the vibrations were directly hitting his eardrum was making his spine tingle. There did exist the possibility that he might have put it into his ear incorrectly, which could explain the discomfort.

"Quit being a super bum and step up the pace already." Now it was Kinuhata's turn to mouth off at him from a safe distance away. "If we end up missing any critical details because of you..."

Hamazura was not all too concerned about the hanging threat Kinuhata left unmentioned. His thoughts were focused more so on why in the world did Frenda have so many of these earpieces on her. Was she secretly prepared for this exact moment or something? Hard to say if he truly believed that or if it was a matter of happenstance. Whichever it was, he did not dwell on it for too long. He had more pressing concerns to address at the moment.

Like, for example, cursing those damn girls for pushing this onto him!

"Waah! There's something sweet smelling coming from-"

"Don't even think about it."

Dang.

He just missed that impressive hand-speed of hers.

To be fair, someone had moved past him as he was creeping up on the two ladies. Based on what was able to catch, the nun had started to veer off course from the path they were initially on. Rectified by Mugino herself, if the harsh tug from the fist-full of the robes were of any indication. The way she went about this was...odd and difficult for Hamazura to describe. It was not like a dog on a leash, despite how similar it seemed at first glance. Rather than that, it reminded him of how a mother would tug at a child's arm to prevent them from straying too far away from her.

All of this without so much as sparing an over-the-shoulder glance.

Which Hamazura was grateful for.

As for the nun, well...

"Wait, wait, wait! If you pull too hard my Walking Church will tear again!" She reacted in a much similar fashion to the child used in that previous analogy. In other words she threw a fit; her arms flailing about in exaggerated motions as the two passed the establishment that had caught her interest. "Samples, they have samples! Touma said that it doesn't cost money if they have samples! Let me have some! Stop making me go hungry!"

"You know what the purpose of samples are, right?" Inquired the #4, her gaze locked straight ahead as a momentary pause in the nun's tantrum settled over the nun. Mugino must have taken that as a cue, because she elaborated not long after. "They give out a miniscule portion of a product and use that to grab your attention. After you eat one, you'll want another because it's just a very miniscule portion of the whole thing. In other words, it makes you hungry and not long after you'll end up buying the whole product."

"W-what?!" Clearly the girl in the white habit had not thought much about it beyond being free food. "But...but...how can you get hungry when you eat something?"

"Chemical reactions in your body."

A plain shrug was provided alongside that equally plain answer.

She still did not meet the nun's eyes though.

"I don't get it."

"It's a marketing ploy or, in other words, a trap to make you buy their stuff."

"That's horrible! How can they get away with that!?"

"By preying on saps like you, that's how. Now come on you shitty excuse for a nun; they're waiting on us to get back." Following Mugino's curt answer, she proceed to tug a bit harsher on the girl's clothes as she carried onward. "Tch, how the fuck did I get stuck being you're chaperone?"

Despite being appalled by the practice, the nun persisted to exclaim her desire for sustenance. Her whining, flailing, wailing, and hurried excuses all fell onto deaf ears though. Mugino did not give pause for even a moment as she continued to essentially drag the other girl away. If there had been doubts before, then they were essentially dashed by this point. That nun, by some warped form of circumstance, was someone Mugino was directly in association with.

Such had now become very apparent to him, given the spectacle he was being privy to witness in this instance. Even though he could not see them, he knew all of the other members of ITEM, along with several other (less important) folk, watched this all occur with mixed emotions.

"Hamazura, stop super gawking and tell us what's going on already."

They must have been further away from the scene than he originally thought.

Not surprisingly, Hamazura wished he was in their shoes at this given moment.

"Um, I guess you could say that Mugino's...babysitting?" Despite his innermost desires to flee, he still answered the query as best he could whilst absentmindedly scratching his scalp. "Mugino doesn't sound happy about doing it either. She also said something about people waiting up for them too. I'm guessing Mugino's talking about-"

"Basically, we aren't stupid Hamazura. We know who they're talking about."

"...probably..."

Did Frenda buy this many earpieces for the sole purpose of snooping?

Short answer: yes, initially she did.

"Yeah, we super know one of them is that Kamijou guy. So who's the other one?"

"No idea."

Having nothing to contribute to the conversation, Hamazura merely grunted as he continued to tail the two ladies. The younger of the two, or so he assumed, eventually ceased with her tantrum. Even so, the habit-garbed foreigner appeared to not be quite over it just yet. Judging by the way she was pointedly looking away from the #4, she was pouting. Whether or not Mugino noticed this or not was hard to determine since her head had yet to even twitch in the other girl's general direction. At least the nun was walking and not reduced to being dragged along the pavement like a rag-doll.

Seemed though that the Level 5 wanted to have some added assurance.

Which explained her maintained grip on the nun's robes.

From there, all had remained quiet between the two girls. Neither party showed no interest in speaking to one another at all. Tense was this silence and it had been a prolonged one that had carried on for the past two blocks. At first he thought that the nun was being overtly petty about being denied earlier. Yet that theory had been shot down halfway through the first block. By the time they had passed the second, it was glaringly obvious to him that there was maybe something... _more_ to this.

These two were not passing acquaintances; even someone of his intelligence could deduce that.

However, that did not imply that they were on good terms with one another.

...probably.

Hamazura was not too sure.

He was getting incredibly bored though.

"So..." And just like that, his interest was renewed as Mugino finally spoke up after clearing her throat. "You haven't caught that bitch or her red-headed fuck-boy snooping around since that night have you?"

"Mnm, no; nothing of the sort." The nun took a skyward glance as she pondered those words for a moment longer before gazing at the taller woman. "Evidently they have stayed true to their word. So far there haven't been any incidents regarding magicians."

Magicians?

Like, the ones hired for children's birthday parties who pull rabbits out of hats and such?

"Mn; I suppose that's a good thing."

"So it would seem."

Hamazura might not get it, but those two certainly did. Whatever 'it' was, the conversation seemingly ended there and in quite the awkward fashion too. More could have been said, more was obviously meant to be added to this. But instead of digging further into it, they were actively avoiding the subject itself. There was an elephant in the room that neither of the two wanted to address. Well maybe, Hamazura was pretty sure that Mugino would speak her mind at any point she pleased.

He himself was convinced that, given enough time, she probably would. Shizuri did not often hold her tongue on most matters that either annoyed or infuriated her. If his earlier assumption was right, then it would not be long before she said something.

"...why did you sound so disappointed Scary-Face?"

Good thing the delinquent degenerate was not drinking a beverage. Should that have been the case then it would have come spewing out of his mouth at this point. To clarify, no this reaction was not due to shock but rather out of amusement. A valid reaction since, to be honest, the nick-name was pretty spot-on.

"I told you to stop calling me that you cunting brat!"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Lord please forgive me for my slip of tongue." That nun's 'apology' was infected with a copious amount of smugness as she aimlessly looked off to the side. "Maybe if you listened to Touma about your own vulgar tongue, I would listen to you better. Also I am a teenager, same as you Scary Face, and so I am not a brat."

"Then learn to act your age and I wouldn't call you a brat, you bible-thumping little shit."

"Before you lot ask, they're arguing." Reported Hamazura as he continued to watch the exchange. Throughout which, he had stumbled upon irrefutable proof that age did not always guarantee a person's maturity. "Now the nun's blowing raspberries at Mugino as they walk. Mugino looks like she's about ready to strangle her. She hasn't done it yet, but it might happen in the next minute or two...by the way, are nuns allowed to act like that? Weren't those holy-ladies supposed to be pure maidens or something?"

Reasonable questions like these were most certainly worth asking.

Considering a lot of the nun's mannerisms were questionable based on what he was seeing.

"Why are you asking us like we're super supposed to know?"

"...good point, forget I asked."

Wisely, for once at least, the blonde haired delinquent did not elaborate further. Rigged questions like that were bound to trip something nasty that he did not want to be on the receiving end of. So he kept his mouth shut, despite hearing a few requests (demands) from the others to explain himself. That lockbox was filled to brim with vast quantities of 'nope' inside it. No amount of coaxing from those girls was going to tempt him into opening it either. Odd was it for him to suddenly prefer listening in on the conversation in front of him rather than the voices ringing in his ear.

Then again, from his standpoint, any distraction was preferable by comparison.

Plus it looked like Mugino had managed to repress the urge to throttle the habit-bearing sister. Said sister had also ceased her immature actions, although neither of the two girls were looking at one another. Between the two of them, the religious girl seemed the most affronted; nose in the air and her cheeks inflated. Mugino, on the other hand, appeared to be plainly annoyed but otherwise not too slighted.

"Tch, why couldn't those fucking magicians taken you with them when they left?" Her exasperated remark also had traces of fatigue in her tone as well. Reinforcing the image of a babysitter or parent forced to deal with an unruly child. "You can't cook, you can't clean, and I'm surprised you can even dress yourself in the morning. About all you can do is eat and shit; making it seem to me like tits-on-legs loafed over some stray animal she found next to a dumpster."

"Touma does not seem to mind sharing his home with me. So it isn't as though I'm being a bother to you in particular." Excluding this moment of course, but the nun was presumably speaking in a broader scope. "Besides that, there are still scorch marks from three days ago when you tried to cook. At your rate of progress, you will be old and wrinkly by the time you acquire the qualities needed to be a bri-mwah! Stop it! Stop it, that hurts!"

Safe to say that Mugino did not take criticism well if _that_ is how she reacts to it.

Let us take a moment to explain what 'that' was; even if it ultimately was a very simple action.

It was Mugino's hand gripping the vast top of the girl's skull and promptly squeezing it as if it were a massive grapefruit. Judiciously, nearly all pedestrians within the vicinity of those girls had given them a wide berth as this was played out. Hard for them not to since the two had stopped walking right in the middle of the walkway. Odd looks were tossed in their direction, yet no one seemed brazen enough to interfere. Hamazura sure as shit was not about to; he liked breathing thank you very much. One could say this was a 'it's not my problem so I should not make it my problem' scenarios.

The Level 5, however, was not bothered in the slightest about being the center of attention.

Her unreadable and undaunted expression that showcased neither malice or amusement was proof enough of that.

"That does look like it hurts a bit."

From someone on the outside looking in it might not look too painful. But the receiver of this would be (or in this case was) singing a different tune. Especially when one factors in things like fingernails harshly digging into the skin. Might not cause any real harm, but it was nonetheless an immensely painful experience. All the same, as spectator, it did not appear to be too terrible considering what all the Meltdowner could otherwise do.

The nun, however, would argue that 'a bit' was criminally inaccurate. Emphasized by how frantically she was wriggling around trying to remove the #4's appendage from her cranium with little to no signs of success.

"A bit is putting it mildly. Mugino has a really strong grip so, basically, that hurts a lot more than it looks."

And there you have it, confirmation spoken from the veteran of punishment herself.

"Speaking from super experience there Frenda?"

"Spis meg."

Oi, there's no need for that remark Seivelun-san!

* * *

"Auuu...!"

"Quit complaining, you deserved it. A cheeky free-loading brat like you needed to remember her place anyways."

More than a couple minutes had passed since Mugino initially Tiger Clawed the nun. Additionally, the distance the two had traveled had increased since then as well. By almost three blocks now as the number of shops and stores were dwindling in number the further they traversed. Someone as dim as him took note that the scenery was shifting from the commercial areas into residential ones. Thanks to that shift in scenery, he could venture a guess to where they were headed.

"Auuu..."

"Glare at me all you want, just remember you that brought it on yourself. Don't expect me or anyone else to feel sorry for you either."

Continuing with the analogy of a mother and her child, Mugino was leading the charge with the nun trailing not far behind her. The latter of the two was clutching her head, but the pesky habit was obscuring her face. Based on Frenda's expertise, the degenerate delinquent surmised that she was probably teary-eyed. Probably pouting as well considering how questionable her maturity was despite claiming otherwise.

That said, Mugino was not entirely wrong; nobody among the S-Quad felt too inclined to feel pity for her. Frenda might have been an exception if she was not so elated to see it happen to someone _aside_ from her.

"...auuu..."

"Oi, you're starting to piss me off. Use syllables and sentences if you want to communicate. Keep acting like you can't and I'll do it again."

That quiet and pitiful moan that had been the nun's means of communication was quelled in an instant. Hamazura had to thank whatever merciful deity that existed for that. He was rapidly losing track of the conversation at the rate it was originally going. He did have to admit that it was fairly remarkable that the Level 5 was able to interpret what that sister was conveying. Especially since she was only giving the habit-girl fleeting glances over her shoulder.

Said action served an added purpose of giving Hamazura a slight panic attack.

"M-m-my heart can't take much more of this." Speaking of, the drop-out was busy gripping his chest and wiping the sweat from his brow. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up you guys. At this rate, I'll get noticed."

"Basically that sounds like a 'you' problem."

"It super does."

You two are scumbags!

"Did it ever occur to you that there'd be consequences if I got caught!? You do realize that I have no problems with ratting the lot of you out!?"

One thing to take note of is that, despite what was being said by the blonde, he had yet to stop trailing the two ladies. Having said that, he could not properly emphasize his point using a harsh whisper. In other words, it did not sound like a threat to be taken seriously. More like a pitiful whine spoken under a disgruntled employee's breath at the office.

"Are you super assuming Mugino's going to let you get a word in edgewise?" Which is why Kinuhata was calling bullshit on his bluff. "Fat chance of that happening. I'm shocked that you survived the last time you royally pissed her off."

Truthfully she did bring up a fair point; there was no guarantee Mugino would let him utter a single word of defense. Especially after the aforementioned incident Saiai had described. At least, if he had died then, it would have been a good sight to see before exiting out of life. In his defense, big bare breasts were still big bare breasts; regardless of who they belonged to. Such was the motto of a true, honest to god, big breast fan.

"Basically, even if she did, you would still die first; which I'm okay with." Ouch, that's hurtful Frenda; like really hurtful. "Besides, I'm pretty confident that we could stay hidden long enough for her to cool off after the fact."

Do not, repeat, _**do not**_ get too confident in that half-ass strategy!

The persistence of a Level 5 fueled by blood-rage is nothing to scoff at!

"...don't bully him too much..."

Softly, in the backdrop of someone's earpiece, he could make out the voice of the usually silent spectator Takitsubo chiming in. Admittedly, Hamazura had forgotten that she was there with them. Sadly this reminder of her presence served as a detriment opposed to a benefit. Mainly because it further invalidated his claim to sell them out in the event he was caught. Thankful as he was for her input, he lost whatever gall he had now that he was reminded of her participation in the S-Quad.

Minimal as said participation was.

"He does super come in handy from time to time."

...wait...

Was that...praise?

From Kinuhata Saiai of all people?

"Yeah, basically he does come through when we need him to."

Frenda was doing it as well!

Is this what it sounded like to be treated with some semblance of respect?

What sort of influence does Takitsubo have on the group to induce this sort of reaction!?

Questions like these were vital to help him cope with what he was feeling. Surely this warm sensation he felt at the center of his chest was a comfortable one. One that was given birth through the acknowledgement of his peers. Like being genuinely complimented by a senior employee or a student one looks up to. A warm feeling, a feeling of fulfillment and elation. To know that, deep down, one's efforts had not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated by those above you. Certainly that must have been the feeling swelling up inside his chest at that moment.

No question that the warmth came from knowing he was of some importance to them in some way, shape, or form.

"...you're buttering me up to make me keep tailing them, ain't you?"

Or maybe was it the bitter pill of reality which had gotten lodged partway down his esophagus?

"...probably..."

"Pretty much."

"Yup."

Guess that answers that.

Still, it was gross how Hamazura understood these girls on an uncanny level. Grosser was that the ladies did not so much as try to hide their true intentions from him. Readily and shamelessly admitting to their ploy as thought they were agreeing on what they were going to eat for dinner. Vexing as their gall was, Hamazura had no rebuttal to respond with. There was no denying that, hence Hamazura's desire to weep loudly at the sheer amount of discontent he felt. He did not do so, which was good as the saint and sinner would have heard it.

Instead he momentary stopped in place as he tugged at his messy matted hair through gritted teeth. Credit needed to be given to the drop-out for not tearing his hair out.

"Hamazura, quit fooling around and move already. They're super getting out of our line of sight."

"God dammiiiiiiiit!"

More credit to him for repressing his urge to shout this out too loud before pressing onward.

The looks he would have received would have truly made him break down into a sobbing mess otherwise.

Internal conflict aside, Hamazura continued to play his (strong-armed) part in this screenplay. Thankfully his minor breakdown did not end up with him having to traverse a long distance. Catching up the two had been quick, but when he did, the two girls did not seem to be conversing. Either they had been quiet this entire time or they had finished up any previous conversation prior to this. Whichever case turned out to be true did not matter too much to the drop-out. Reason being lay in the fact that the two were heading into a pretty tight space.

Specifically a gap between two large apartment buildings leading towards a flight of descending stone steps.

At this point, pursuing was difficult as both girls would undoubtedly hear him. After waiting a minute or two near the front-end of the entrance, he slipped through once he confirmed the girls were out of sight. From there it was only a matter of cautiously moving up and listening out for their Mugino's heels striking the sturdy steps. By the time he reached the peak of the initial stairs, he noted that the two ladies were already at the bottom and making a beeline for a particular apartment building.

One that looked shoddy at best and was-

"Holy shi-what the hell happened to the roof!"

"Huh?"

"What are you blabbering abo-"

"Mugino and that sister are heading up into some broken down looking apartment building. Damn near half the roof on this place looks to be gone."

He should not be surprised that the two ITEM members could not see it. They would have understood immediately if they had and most likely commented on it in some fashion resembling his own. Literally half of the roof was indeed missing. Well, missing in the sense that the front half of the building looked normal. The other half on the back end, however, looked to be covered by a plain blue tarp that stretched out from one side of the building to the other.

Upon closer inspection of the surrounding buildings, Hamazura gradually began to piece together what happened.

"...I think Mugino got pissed off about something while she was here. She might have blown the roof off by accident...or on purpose. Can't tell really, but I'm pretty sure this is her doing."

"Basically, what makes you think that?"

"We've all seen the damage her Meltdowner can do." The blonde haired delinquent stated this as a fact, which it was, before elaborating further. "So when you see holes big enough to fit your whole body though, it's pretty obvious who's behind it. And from what I can see there's some pretty nasty looking ones on the building next door."

Meltdowner truly was a destructive ability.

Especially when it came to collateral damage.

"So Mugino got super angry about something and blew up a ceiling." Crudely summarized Kinuhata, a marginal amount of bewilderment slipping into her voice as she spoke. "What was she doing here in the first place? For that matter, what does that super sister have to do with any of this?"

Hamazura shrugged, forgetting that the gesture would not be noticed.

"I don't-"

"Wah! Touma!"

Before he could add anything further, the excited outcry of the nun silenced him. Seeing his chance, Hamazura made a dash down the steps, towards the railings, and hopping over it. The last step proved to be a poor choice of action since the height difference was much steeper than he originally guessed. The landing itself sent jolts up pain up his feet that traversed all the way along spine. He was lucky his legs did not give out from under him right then and there.

Suffice to say they did not, although the pain he initially felt would linger for a couple minutes or so.

Not that he had put much thought into it. He was too busy scurrying over towards the hedges planted out in front of the complex. In his haste, he had foregone any form of subtly. What that meant was that he made a bit of a racket upon entering said bushes. He nearly fainted right then and there when saw, through the foliage, Mugino's eyes glancing in his direction.

Mistakes were made!

"Index, please keep your voice down a bit around here," Fortunately, for both his heart and bladder, the voice of Mugino's unremarkable boyfriend had been quick to draw her attention. "We've caused enough trouble as it is. Let's not add any more to the people who live in the apartments nearby."

"Touma, is it true that samples from food stores make you hungrier?"

Kamijou, caught off guard by this question, scratched at his spiky scalp. Eyes of a heavily confused individual settled onto his girlfriend, who clicked her tongue but offered nothing else beyond that. Seeing as how he was not getting any support from her, the boy merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I-uh-can't say I've noticed anything like that myself. I typically don't try them; never had a reason to. If I want something to eat or snack on, I'd go to a vending machine instead."

"So they don't?"

"You shouldn't take my word for it, but I'd say no."

"I knew it! Scary Face is a liar!"

"Didn't I say for you to _not_ take my word for it!?"

Kamijou apparently sucked at following with his own instructions.

Hypocritical statements aside, the drop-out soon became privy to Kamijou becoming occupied with the task of restraining the small nun. Had he not done so then she would have charged at the Meltdowner head-on. A good choice of action on his part too, since it would have proven to have been a grave mistake on her part. Clearly Mugino was goading the white-robed nun to do it. What with that smug smile of hers and the haughty aura emitting from her current posture. Hamazura could practically see the words 'bring it on' floating over her head.

And the absolute last thing any sane person would do was take the bait offered to them by a predator like her. Fortunately for the petite lamb, she had a diligent shepherd protecting her from the provocative wolf.

"O-oi Index, calm down and don't immediately jump to conclusions. Shizuri is much smarter than I am, so she likely was telling you the truth."

Aggravated as she evidently was, Kamijou's words and actions did cause things to progress in a positive direction. The nun, now identified as Index of all things, appeared to be settling down slightly. At least to the point where she was not as persistent in trying to squirm herself out of his hold. As an added bonus, the flattery remark had some effect on Mugino as well. Said girl causally swept her long soft-tea of hair off her shoulder at the mention of her name.

Her smug smile may have persisted, but posture was not oozing pride anymore, instead it was more like...mild satisfaction.

Yeah, he reckoned that was an apt description of her general emotions right now.

"Actually, I was bullshitting and everything I said about that was a lie."

...seems Hamazura mistook amusement for satisfaction.

Which he could be forgiven for when one considers how obscured his vantage point was. It might have been both, who knows Mugino liked being vague, but that was beside the point. What remained prominent-

"GRRRAAAAH!"

-was the renewed vigor of Index's efforts to break out of Touma's hold.

"Don't come clean so casually just to antagonize her!"

Things unraveled from that point onward.

The nun, Index, eventually managed to squirm herself out of Kamijou's grasp. She did this by harshly biting at the hand too close to her face at the spot between his thumb and index finger. While he was writhing yowling in pain from that, she successfully made her charge. This 'glorious' strategy of hers ended the second she was in arm's reach of the Meltdowner. Cue the prepared Tiger Claw and the shrill excruciating wailing and flailing from the silver-haired nun. Unlike last time, he caught a glint of satisfaction in Mugino's eye as she did this.

Also, unlike his previous reading, Hamazura was positive about the Level 5's current state of emotions.

The #4 truly was a cruel woman.

He could hear someone's voice coming from above; most likely a resident. Whatever they started to say was interrupted part-way through though. Suspiciously enough, it happened right after Mugino's head had inclined by a marginal amount. No other complaints was heard from them following this. That gave the impression that the poor person did have some past experience with the people squabbling down here. Although, at this point, it was hard to say that they were bickering. Two people were currently in agony and one sadist looking positively pleased with herself.

Overall, not the most welcoming sight to step outside to. Incidentally, Hamazura both pitied and envied that nameless onlooker. At least that person was able to get away from the madness.

"What is all the noise abou-wah! Mugino-chan, let her go! Stop bullying Index-san! Stop it right now or sensei will get really, _really_ mad!"

And now a new member has jumped into the fray. This one came from his immediate right and had bolted into his line of sight. Pretty quickly, he might add, considering her short stature. Impressive as that response time had been, he doubted the little pink-haired girl was going to influence the outcome-

"Tch, there're worse things I could've done." Astonishingly, she did as instructed and begrudgingly let the nun go. Immediately afterwards, said nun bolted to safety behind the smaller new arrival with whom Mugino was refusing to make eye-contact with. "She should be grateful that I didn't decide to do anything too drastic. Would've made paying for this thing a waste of money and time otherwise."

Obviously referring to the plastic bag loosely hanging from her wrist. Of course, to the sole spectator of the S-Quad, this detail was bleakly noted. As it stood, Hamazura was busy contemplating whether or not he should check himself into a hospital. Cause he was seriously concerned about his mental health at this point.

"S-sensei can't accept that as an excuse; violence is still violence Mugino-chan."

"Scary Face can't help it, since that's all she knows how to do."

Still clutching her aching cranium, Index grumbled this whilst her teary eyes glared at the taller female in disdain. Too bad she was not as quiet as she thought she was. When the Meltdowner's eyes rounded back upon her, she let out an audible squeak and went back to cowering behind her tiny human shield. Amusing, cute even, but cute only got a person so far. Especially true in cases that involved Mugino; who had no problems with inflicting harm on arguably cute girls.

...that last part sent shivers down the poor degenerate's spine.

"Um...can't we all just, you know, not fight?" Thankfully, Kamijou took this moment to reinsert himself into the conversation. Literally, he stepped right in-between both parties with both hands raised in the hopes of calming the both of them. "Shizuri's got the yukata rentals while me and Komoe-sensei got the ingredients for dinner. So...can we just have a nice meal before we head out? One that doesn't involve you two trading insults?"

Yukata rentals?

"Sensei _was_ getting everything ready before hearing all the commotion." Said the little girl, sounding vaguely annoyed as she sighed. The discontent was fleeting though and her posture as well as her tone perked up shortly thereafter. "But we have plenty of time to eat before we need to get going. It's been a long time since I've gone to see the fireworks. You didn't need to, but Sensei's really happy that you all invited me to come."

Fireworks?

"With everything that's happened, it's the least we could do." Kamijou showed off his modesty by waving his hand dismissively at the girl. "Besides, you were a really big help to all of us. That and this is the first time Index has seen fireworks. She was dead set on having you come along."

"Wasn't too happy to hear that I was comin' along though." Contrasting her boyfriend, Mugino's supercilious remark was accompanied by a sneer, killing the wholesome mood. "Those rentals aren't cheap either, damn brat. Remember that, along with who paid for them, later on tonight."

"Floozy!" Not the most unusual come-back to retort with, the nun nevertheless stuck her tongue out at the girl from the relative safety of her cover. Yet this action was predetermine to be short as her attention went back towards the solitary male in sight. "Touma, when can we eat? Scary Face wouldn't let me eat anything, not even the samples!"

"It shouldn't take long for everything to be ready. You'll still have to wait for a bit until everything is finished cooking."

That was the nonchalant response said boy provided. It appeared as though this was the wrong thing for him to say. Once he put his full attention onto the silver-haired girl, his posture suddenly became incredibly rigid. Hamazura could understand an ire-fueled Meltdowner. That was a breed of feminine rage he did not want to be on the receiving end of...again. A petite peeved nun, on the other hand, was a far cry from being remotely scary or threatening.

Her bared teeth and intense glare could not have been anything less than mildly unnerving at worst and oddly adorable at best in his mind.

Ignorance is a blissful thing, is it not?

"If you're really that hungry, Index-san, sensei might have some senbei you can eat. It should tie you over until dinner is ready."

Without missing a beat, the nun's attention snapped towards her human shield. Trace amounts of drool looked as though it was dripping out of her already salivating mouth. At the notion of there being food to consume, the sister immediately became ecstatic. So much so that she practically started skipping back towards the steps leading to the upper section of the apartment building and out of his sight. All while chanting 'senbei, senbei~' in a eagerly festive manner; like it was the best word she had ever heard. The pink haired girl was not far behind her as she too moved towards the upper floors.

That left Mugino and Kamijou to remain within Hamazura's line of sight.

Unlike the others, these two lingered back a bit; specifically in the case of the latter.

"You really didn't have to go out of your way to get those you know." Remarked the spiky haired boy once the #4 had made it to his side. "We could've all gone in casual clothes and nobody would've paid us too much mind. I'm actually more surprised you even got one for Index too. Considering that...well you two aren't on the best of terms just yet."

"You make it sound like we're eventually gonna _be_ on 'good terms' as you put it." The last part there was spat out like the remnants of a foul tasting substance; complete with a scowl. Although, once the impurity was expunged, Mugino's face seemed to become a tad bit softer. "That runt aside, renting them out is cheaper than buying them. The most I have to worry about are the fees that'll come if something happens to them."

"I'll be sure to keep a close eye on Index then. With how you two are arguing she might mess it up just to spite you."

"I wouldn't put it passed that bible-thumping cu-"

"Be nice."

"But, all-in-all, I'm not too worried about it." If Mugino was piqued by the interruption, then the only showings of it would have been when she flipped her hair off her shoulder. "I'll keep my hands to myself and play nice as long as she doesn't piss me off. If she can't do that, _then_ I'll squeeze the gray-matter in her brain out from her ears."

Kamijou was her boyfriend, so he undoubtedly knew how short the Level 5's fuse was. Which explained why he started chuckling in a nervous manner while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. Such a reaction earned him a dirty look from the girl beside him, the likes of which Kamijou did not meet. Poor teen took a harsh tab to the ribs, courtesy of the girl's elbow, that induced a wince and a grunt of pain. This was done as they were about to ascend the steps to join the others and were just barely within line of sight.

Too bad Hamazura's brain had long since fizzled out trying to process all of this.

Definitely not something someone should be doing all in one sitting.

"Basically, Hamazura, are you even alive right now?"

The voice in his head (inner-ear actually) would sadly not leave him be.

"He's super breathing, I think, so we can assume he's fine."

No, no he was not fine.

He was the furthest away from being fine than he had ever been in his life.

"Well, we at least know what they're doing...or basically a rough idea of what they're doing." Apparently Hamazura's input was not needed to carry with on the conversation. "Something about fireworks...isn't that some event that's going on in this district?"

"I remember hearing something about it earlier today before we all got together." Kinuhata, also unbothered by the delinquent's lack of input, responded to the question Frenda had posed. " I think it's supposed to start around 7 pm, so we've got a couple hours left to wait. Can't super remember where the show is supposed happen at. But it's not that big of an issue, we could always look up the details online."

Most of what followed this was sort of drowned out by the blonde-haired dropout. Recalling everything that had transpired truly had done a number on his mental status. He knew Mugino was in a relationship, he also knew of her boyfriend. And although the difference was not substantial, it was still jarring to witness so closely. It truly put into perspective precisely how...odd it was seeing her act in any manner that he was not accustomed to. Reconciling the Mugino Shizuri he knew with the one he was bearing witness to (for the second time now) was challenging.

Too much so for his mind to wrap itself around and with damn good reasons.

The people she was interacting with and the way she interacted with them. It was so...normal, average, and easygoing that it was outlandish. Yet, somehow, it felt completely natural and unforced; okay mostly unforced in some select cases. Clearly there was something going on with Mugino and that oddly-named nun. Thus far nothing that had been said gave him any sort of clues as to what was going on between them. They had a history, even someone like him could draw to that conclusion. Everything that laid beyond that, however, remained undisclosed thus far.

Which begs the questions such as what type of history did these two have with each other? How long has this been going on? Why were they seemingly so hostile towards one another? Queries' such as these piled on top of one another like building blocks. Said blocks created a solid wall that he saw no gaps in for him to poke or prod at. If he did it long enough, then there was a chance he could possibly get through to seeing the other side.

The real question, though, was if it was worth it? Did he have any right to unabashedly intrude on the Meltdowner's personal life? For that matter, did any of those troublesome girls have the right to do this either?

The proper answer should have been obvious.

All the same, if this was partially what those girls were exposed to with their stalking...

...maybe they could be forgiven for allowing their curiosity to overrule their better judgment.

"Super Hamazura!"

"Hwa-wh-what, I'm listening."

"Basically, we already know you're lying so don't try to save face." Having caught him in his lie, the boy said nothing; which suited the fluffy blonde fine. "Anyways, stay where you are and don't go anywhere. We're going to go ahead and cut these ear-pieces' off for now to save their battery-life. Turn yours off too and keep your phone close by. Whenever they start heading out, call or text us so we can meet up with you later."

"Uh-hu-wait, what?" Slow as he may be, his brain decided then to kick it back into gear once he heard instructions that he found unsatisfactory. "You want me to stay here for one-two hours tops? Do you really expect me to stay crouched in this bush with a twig up my ass for an unspecified amount of time?"

"We know you super will, or we'll rat you out to Mugino right this second." Kinuhata was cruel mistress, taking his earlier threat of snitching on them and using it against him. "So unless you want to become super fried Hamazura, get familiar with that twig. Lucky for you, your job is to only sit there and don't leave. We're the ones who have prep work to do before we meet up later."

He almost did not want to ask what they were going to do.

Today, however, was filled with things he would rather not do.

"...can you at least pick me up something to ea-"

He did not even get a chance to finish making his request before the earpiece went dead. Silence awaited him, imploring him to groan before taking the device out of his ear and shutting it off. Having gotten accustomed to it's presence there, it felt weird to have it out. All the same, it did not bring him any joy to know that he could no longer hear the voices of those insensitive girls ringing in his ear. By all accounts he could leave and none of the girls would be the wiser.

There were a plethora of options available to him, but each one had a corresponding consequence to them.

That said, Hamazura Shiage merely sighed wearily once again before making himself comfy.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom.

So, once again, I apologize for my absence. It was not so much that I 'decided' to take a month off to play RDR2. No, I just got sucked into it until I reached a certain point. Said point was where I realized that I had a chapter to get out. I tried to get it done before November was over, but I missed that mark. Thus, here I am, in December, with this...build-up chapter you have today.

Safe to say that, yes, we are carrying on with the canon timeline. For those of you who have watched Railgun, then you should have a faint idea on event is about to take place; making it in-between the conclusion of the Index Arc. and Deep Blood. And, for the record, I hope I wrote Index appropriately in this chapter. I've never had to write her before so I don't feel like I have it nailed down yet. That said, if it feels off, feel free to throw me some pointers; seriously I could use the help here.

On an unrelated note, what did you guys think of Mugino's Tiger Claw?

I think it's super effective; but that's just me.

That aside, I am genuinely looking forward to the follow-up to this. Not just because I get to write out Mugino in a yukata, but I also go into other things in that chapter as well. Things are set in motion now and the conclusion you've all been waiting three chapters for will finally be answered. Which, I'm hoping, I can make happen before new-year's eve. I'd really like to succeed in that respect, but if I do not then I will preemptively apologize here in advance. Cross your fingers for me and hope that I can get it done in time. And, as always, shout out to _**FrodoFighter**_ for editing this chapter for me; it's almost criminal how chill that dude is.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


	14. 5th Appointment: Fireworks

Greetings to all!

"...You know, sometimes I wish you were one of those authors that write chapters with like 5k words"

My beta-reader when I sent this too him; I'd say it's pretty telling, isn't it?

* * *

When one coins the term 'festival' in Academy City, typically two particular events spring to mind.

Chronologically, these celebrations were Daihaseisai and Ichihanaransai respectfully. Both of which were large in scale due to their importance to the city as a whole. Daihaseisai, being a sports festival, was a more public event than the latter due to it being covered on a global scale. Tourists of all sorts flooded the city around that time, making an already busy environment feel more cramped than it usually was. Ichihanaransai, by contrast, was a private event in that it did not let outsiders into the city during that time. Because it was essentially a large-scale cultural festival of multiple venues, pulling it off was often considered a challenge.

Whether it was Daihaseisai or Ichihanaransai, no one could deny that these events were imperative.

Especially for the student body, which is what made up most of the city anyway, as both events were a great source of enjoyment.

That being said, there did exist smaller, less... _extravagant_ events that littered the calendar. Some were spontaneous in nature and others were planned. Truthfully it all depended on how attentive you were with current events. A good example of the former was the Summer City Flood Prevention Program that happened in the summer of last year. There was a reasoning behind it and it technically was not an 'event' per se, but no one really cared enough about the technicalities. Students were given a chance to swim in flowing pools on a hot day for free and, hell yeah, they took it.

Now, as far as planned events were concerned, one need not look further than today.

Or rather, to be more specific, tonight.

Tonight was an evening for a particular celebration that commonly took place in the middle of the summer. Presumably for those who had chosen to stay within the City's walls during the course of their vacation. It was not a far-fetched assumption to make considering there were many who did stay, voluntarily or otherwise. That said, it also served as a means for legendary firework merchants to get their products showcased to large crowds. In a way, it was a win-win scenario for all parties involved. The students got to indulge themselves in the festival itself and the companies participating got to advertise their merchandise.

Most importantly of all: boys got to see all kinds of girls dolled up in their yukatas. That was a win; without question that was a colossal victory to all men. Unless, of course, you were a certain drop-out named Hamazura Shiage.

"They told me to meet them here, so where are they?"

In which case, it was not much of a victory.

The sun was hanging low in the sky when the group had finally emerged from the backstreet apartment complex. And by the time they had gotten here, the darkness of night had already settled in. Not that the distance from there to the riverside area was extensive. It was easily within walking distance and equally accessible for anyone wishing to join in on the festivities. So texting the others as he tailed Mugino and her entourage was hardly a hassle. Neither was keeping them within his line of sight without being noticed throughout the commute that brought him here.

The clumsy movements of the nun named Index also made that job easy for him as well. Being unaccustomed to traversing in the yukata had caused the group's pace had be a tad sluggish; much to the annoyance of a particular Level 5. That sort of hindrance gave those nosy girls plenty of time to finish things up on their end. Apparently it was more time than necessary since they told him that they were waiting for him at a specific location. Which so happened to be where he was at now. Once the festival lights were in sight Hamazura, in his haste, managed to bypass the group he was originally tailing to join up with the girls.

"Are they all the way on the other end? " Instead he was on the elevated area, scanning for those who he did not truly wish to be looking for. "They better not have gone down there and got food without getting me some..."

The two separate rows of stalls had only taken up to roughly half of the boardwalk. One side was closer to the grassy slope which gave people an elevated area to observe over the chain of venders down below. The other was more towards the waterfront and offered a very generous amount of free space that stretched from the back of the booths to the railings. All while the path at the center of these two rows remained brightly illuminated via the lights coming from each of the stalls. These same lights cast off a rather warm and inviting glow along the promenade. It suited the bright and exciting colors that made up each of the booths on either side.

Sadly, in spite of the warm and jovial atmosphere presented to him, Hamazura was not able to immerse himself in it.

He was taken aback a bit at how less crowded it was here then how he imagined it would be. The event itself was popular, however there were no bustling crowds down below like he expected. In fact it was pretty tame along the illuminated path compared to the average afternoon sidewalks. Not to say that it was devoid of any crowds, there were a few groups of four or five people scattered about. Not to mention the ever growing amount of people who were slowing starting to trickle into the area in question. As far as he could tell, though, the large majority of those moving about or funneling in down below consisted mostly of pairs.

The delinquent dumb-ass had not, however, spotted Mugino and her group anywhere down below just yet. On top of that, there were also no signs of Kinuhata, Frenda, or Takitsubo to be seen either. The latter case was something he honestly he was not sure if he should be elated about that or not.

Well, if nothing else, he got some relative peace and quiet for a few-

"Ah-ha! Basically, there you are!"

Dammit.

He had spoken too soon.

"Geez, it took you long enough to super get here."

Hamazura's face immediately fell the moment he heard these two call out to him.

More irksome than that was how he compulsively turned to face them; making him feel more like a trained dog than a person.

Although once he had set his sights on them, for a brief moment of time, he forgot who those voices belonged to. In spite of all the hassle and degradation these girls often caused him, he could not tear his eyes away. No sane male would, regardless of how much or how little they knew about these particular girls. That was just how...for lack of better term, _unique_ this sight was. By all accounts it should not have been as big of a deal as he was making it out to be. Truly it should not, as it was just clothing meant to be worn for the occasion. Yet, when it came down to it, there was no way he could not help but notice how well their clothes complemented their appearance.

Good or evil, sweet or sour, saint or sinner; regardless of which metaphor one used, the message remained the same.

Attire did not discriminate and a yukata worn by a girl was still a girl wearing a yukata.

And believe it or not it was Kinuhata who stood out the strongest between the two of them. Mainly due to the color of her outfit, which was some of golden yellowish color with a red obi secured around her waist. He did not know the exact name of the color itself, but he could certainly say that the autumn leaf designs speckled about on it were definitely orange. Beside her was Frenda, who was garbed in the colors of navy blue paired with a mustard yellow obi. Unlike Saiai, Frenda's yukata did not have any ornate designs on it. Rather they were simply large dots of varying colors; such as teal, turquoise, and aqua to name a few.

At a later time, the delinquent dumb ass would regret truthfully admitting that the two looked... _cute_?

Yes...yes, cute was an adequate description for them right now.

"What's with that stupid face you're making Hamazura?" Frenda's inquiry, coupled with her soured expression, was what ultimately ruined the moment for him. "Basically stop drooling over us; it's disgusting. We aren't dressed like this to appeal to whatever wild fantasy your dirty imagination comes up with."

"But that super dumb face is how he's always looked, isn't it?" Kinuhata wondered this train of thought for a few odd seconds before eventually shrugging. "Mmn, to be honest, I can't tell the difference. Then again, I'm not particularly happy about being seen with him so close to me. Especially when I'm dressed like this, since I'm pretty sure someone is going to get the super wrong impression."

Apparently the time to regret his earlier thoughts came sooner rather than later.

"Basically, I don't want that."

"Yup, that would super suck."

Pity their attitudes did not match their appearances.

"Would you two stop talking as if I'm not here." Rebuked the dead-fish eyed delinquent in an equally dead tone of voice. Not even a moment after it registered what he had just said, he began to try and peer passed them. "Speaking of not being here...where's Takitsubo? Wasn't she with you two earlier?"

He got his answer shortly thereafter; albeit it did not come from the girls he was currently in the company of. Instead it was from the tugging of his sleeve, directly behind him, which prompted the boy to turn around. Lo and behold, before him stood the Queen of Don't-give-a-damn herself. Garbed in a black yukata tinged with blue and secured by a light purple obi; lilac was the name of the color if he was not mistaken. Unlike the other two, Takitsubo had no decretory patterns on hers aside from the white trimmings on it. The AIM Stalker appeared to have foregone anything too exotic and stuck with a plain outfit instead.

Which, to be honest, may have explained why he did not immediately notice her. What he did come to notice were two things. One was the skewer of fried squid she was offering him at this very moment. A considerate gesture, but it was outweighed by a far, _far,_ more important detail that demanded his attention. That detail being something which the other two members of this party lacked that Takitsubo did not. Something that the yukata was doing a fantastic job at unintentionally emphasizing right this moment.

Ba-in~!

"...damn, those are basically huge."

State the obvious more please.

"...my figure is still super better..."

On second thought, probably best not to.

"...Hamazura..." In spite of the peanut gallery, Takitsubo's focus was purely on the boy. Said boy was trying very hard to maintain whatever composure he had in his body. "...you said you were hungry..."

"A-ah, r-right, right, thanks for picking up something for me." Quickly, too quick for his own liking, he accepted the kind gesture without any semblance of grace at all. "I'll, uh, be sure to get you something later to pay you back."

"...mhn..."

Poor sap looked about ready to weep tears of joy. Hard not to when a big-breasted yukata-clad girl performs an act of genuine kindness to an overtly underappreciated lackey. It was a victory, a small one to some, but one that still counted. And the Ikayaki he just chomped into right at that moment tasted all the better because of it.

"Okay, enough of Hamazura's gross lusting of our looks!" Although it was Frenda who made the announcement, it was Kinuhata who hit him squire in the shoulder-blade for some reason. "We've basically got a job to do. Hamazura, where are they?"

Seemed as though Frenda had appointed herself as the leader this time around.

Nobody seemed to be against it, so he could assume this had been established after they left him earlier.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in his shoulder, he scanned the area down below on the promenade for a few moments. He knew where they were likely to be coming through; all of them did for that matter. It was why this spot in particular was picked after all. Nevertheless, the ITEM lackey maintained his reluctant diligence in searching out the #4's group. Luckily he found the target of their interest before too long; the likes of whom he could vaguely make out thanks purely to having the higher vantage point. This did not stop the less than patient members of his company from growing agitated with how long it took to spot them.

"Over there, coming in on the boardwalk now." To give emphasis to his claim the blonde pointing off into the distance a ways. "If you look for the little girl in the yellow yukata then you can't miss her."

"Ah, he's right, I can see her." Affirmed Kinuhata as she, like everyone else, peered out to the area specified. "Good to see you're not completely useless super Hamazura."

Tempting as the urge was to refute against that comment, the Skill Out did not do so. Instead he took another large bite of the fried squid to keep any snarky remarks from slipping out. In moments like these, it was better to just silently take the compliment. Arguing about the issue was bound to end badly for him given how he was basically outnumbered. She still could have at least looked at him directly while complimenting him though.

"Alright, time to move." With casual confidence, and maybe a tinge of excitement, Frenda started to move. When she was about to pass her fellow blonde, the sort realization one has when they have forgotten something dawned on her. This flash of insight stopped her dead in her tracks as she carelessly addressed the boy over her shoulder. "By the way, you can leave now Hamazura. I basically don't want to be caught dead with you near me while I'm dressed like this."

Frenda's offhanded dismissal came right as he was about to take another bite from his snack. Thus succeeding in taking the delinquent dunce by complete surprise. Indicated by the rather dumbfounded look he shot her direction as she continued moving passed him.

"Super second that, good call Frenda." Chimed in the Dark May Survivor, her nose wrinkling up as she fell in line behind the foreign blond. Maintaining the features of someone who caught the whiff of a fart while inside a cramped elevator. "It's bad enough I need to rely on him to help get me into certain movies. The last thing I want is for people to think this is a date. I mean, it's not like he'd have a chance with anyone to begin with. But I don't want to feed into any super delusions he might have."

In Hamazura's defense, these two were giving this him very little credit.

"I don't think Hamazura has those super delusions," Takitsubo's soft-spoken rebuttal exhibited signs of her believing otherwise. Granted it barely reaching his ears as she too followed the pair of the stalkers. "...probably."

At least Takitsubo _tried_ to come to his defense. A gesture which indisputably touched his heart more than she would ever know. But the truth was that his lewd fantasies involving these girls had been mostly purged by this point in time. About the only desire he harbored at the core of his being revolved around dishing out some well-deserved payback. For all the bullshit they put him through, he could be forgiving for possessing such desires.

Albeit he also acknowledged that the likelihood of said daydreams becoming a reality were, in fact, slim to nonexistent. Not that any of those particular fantasies were cropping up inside his head right now. Maybe later something would come to mind. For the time being, though, his mind was void of such thoughts. He was too busy trying to process what had happened and how he was supposed feel about it.

Hamazura gave up on the latter once they were out of earshot.

* * *

None of the girls present so much as spared a fleeting look back at the boy as they left. He had done his part, he was not needed anymore, and he clearly did not want to participate in their escapades. In their own twisted and hurtful way, they were giving him exactly what he had wanted. Saiai and Frenda did not want him around and he did not want to be around them. All things considered, it was a win-win situation and so the group went back down to being a Trio once again.

With Mugino's location in mind, the ladies re-activated their earpieces and promptly scattered.

Hamazura had been half-right about where they originally were prior to the meet-up. As they were waiting for him, they had taken that time to scout out the path below. Searching primarily for means to inconspicuously spy on the Meltdowner without being discovered. There were a few ideas, a few knick-knacks, and other things that they, mostly Frenda and Saiai, could use to help in that endeavor. Takitsubo, for her part, did not care either way and instead took to inspecting the stalls. As for what she was doing now they had split again, well, there was hardly a difference.

All that had changed was that she was now playing a more active role as the Trio's tracker.

Given her usual disposition, both Seivelun and Kinuhata had assumed that it would be them who would take on the task of eavesdropping. Neither had asked her whether or not she wanted to do so to begin with. Justified by how reluctant she was to spend money on the proper attire to seamlessly blend in with the crowd. So it went without saying that, when the inevitable debate on who between was about to begin, Takitsubo spoke up. She could still recall their puzzled and gaping faces when she _volunteered_ to take on the role herself.

What's more, she did this without being coaxed into doing it; in fact she suspected they were trying coax her _out_ of doing it.

Eventually, they just let her do as she pleased. Granted, this Takitsubo did have an ulterior motive that served to influence this decision. No, it was not because she wanted to avoid making a scene as the two argued. Neither was it because she was curious about the odd circumstances behind the nun and her leader. Inquisitive as she was about the second one, it was not substantial enough to serve as a determining factor in her choice. The sole purpose behind this decision was so that she could pick up a few snacks along the way.

...it was a festival...

Why would she not seize the moment to indulge herself a little bit?

And so here she was, The Queen of Don't-Give-A-Damn, playing her role as a uninteresting damsel like the professional she was.

"Basically Mugino and the rest are coming up now Takitsubo."

Takitsubo, in all truthfulness, did not need Frenda's instruction to take note of the group as they were coming up. AIM Stalker or not, the girl had no issue finding that little girl with the short pink hair Hamazura had pointed out before. What also helped was that it belonged to a familiar face; one which all parties involved here could recall seeing about two months ago, back in June. Thanks to her, the rest of the Meltdowner's group became easy to spot as they drew closer to the first batch of stalls lining the boardwalk.

She herself was less than a stall away from where they were coming in at, making them that much easier to notice. Not that the task of spotting them was a difficult feat to accomplish to begin with. Hard pressed would anyone be to not catch sight of that batch of folk as they drew closer. No matter how many-or how few-other individuals were funneling into this space along with them.

Between the group of four, three of them had formed a haphazard line as the fourth member of the group lead the way. At present, that little girl took up center area while the other two teens took up either side of her person. Admittedly, it was a bit jarring to see the contrast between the casual attire worn by one and more festive one worn by the other. Personally, Takitsubo was not too bothered by it at all. As it so happened, she was actually pretty miffed about being unable to wear something more comfortable. She herself would be wearing her tracksuit right now had the setting not called for a change.

Plus Frenda and Saiai had been pretty adamant about it; so arguing would not have amounted to anything.

"Wow, she basically didn't hold back on those rentals."

While the AIM Stalker was glowing with envy over the freedom of casual attire, the others had their focus set elsewhere.

"It looks that way. I don't get why you're super surprised by that. This _is_ Mugino we're talking about here."

Particularly, they had honed in on the person walking on the little girl's right side and the object of their stalk- _investiga-_

Oh screw it, there was no point to denying what they were doing anymore.

The point is that they found Mugino.

"-Crepe, and Kachiwari, and Donguri Ame, and Taiyaki-"

To Takitsubo's confusion, and by extension most of the Trio's, the closer the group got to her the more she heard from the person leading the pack. That person being the nun, known as Index, who looked...well saying there was _a bit_ of a difference was putting it mildly. She was in red, of all things, with blue linings and a few colorful decretory images of flowers in full bloom scattered throughout in various colors; namely white, pink and green. Honestly, it was difficult to believe that girl was the same nun they saw earlier. Especially with her own silver-ish hair being pulled up into a nice bun.

And, although her stiff movements were undoubtedly causing irritation, she maintained a chipper attitude about being here.

"...how long has she been like this again?"

Miraculously, despite the growing clarity of the rambling nun along with other distractive noises, she could still make out Kamijou's voice. The only casually garbed member of the group sounded disinclined to receive an answer to the question which he had proposed.

"-and Ringo Ame, and Wata-ame, and Anzuame, and Agemochi-"

"Since about ten minutes ago." Responded the little girl garbed in the colors of strawberry pink and cream yellow; sounding both sheepish and apologetic. "Sensei might have made the mistake of showing Index-san a pamphlet from last year's festival. I-it was supposed to be an example of what she could expect to find this year...but um..."

The little girl trailed off, seemingly looking off to the side as if to say 'this is what she found most interesting' and leaving it at that. On an unrelated note, her disdain for formalwear aside, Rikou privately noted that the girl looked and sounded pretty adorable. But, again, that was more or less an afterthought that remained unvoiced.

"-and Gyu-kushi, and Karaage, and Nikumaki Onigiri, and Yakitori-"

"This damn brat memorizes the most useless crap." Ah, there it was, that weary agitated tone from the designated 'onee-san' of the group. Clad in dark violet and lilac was the Meltdowner in the flesh; her soft-tea hair pulled up into a stylized bundle opposed to being left down like usual. "Why is she listing off things as if she has the money to pay for them? Last I checked, she was broke and had already stuffed her face with more than her fair share of food in the past hour."

"I did tell her that I'd get her a few things from the festival." Remarked Touma carelessly, only to flinch away slightly to the side when Mugino's head snapped over towards him. "Oi, Shizuri, stop looking at me like that. I said _a few things,_ not everything under the sun."

Mugino's response was not immediate, instead she raised a single hand, without turning away, and pointed straight ahead.

"-and Takoyaki, and Ikayaki, and Yaki Tomorokoshi, and Okonomiyaki-"

Riiiight at the back of a certain nun's head, who had not yet stopped rambling.

"Tell it to the brat, you jackass."

"Now, now, remember Mugino-chan, this is supposed to be a celebration for Index-san." Lightly scolded the little girl, wagging her finger at the #4 as she did so. "This _is_ her first fireworks show she's experienced. Sensei believes that she's allowed to indulge herself with the festivities to her heart's content. If it starts to become an issue, then sensei will pitch in some money too."

Bit by bit, two sets of eyes drifted upwards off the small girl and focused themselves on the nun ahead of them.

"-and Omusoba, and Ebitama, and Dondonyaki, and Mitarashi Dango-"

Yes, Index's ramblings had not diminished in the slightest degree. Here was when signs of dread started to nestle itself onto the casually clad boy's face. Whereas Mugino's reaction was to suck on her teeth in indignation. Her folded arms becoming hidden beneath the sleeves of her yukata; all while not taking her eyes off the young maiden.

"If you end up broke, Kamijou, don't expect me to bail you out."

At least Mugino was being transparent.

"I-it...it shouldn't have to come to that...hopefully."

Oh, optimism, how you were like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Said light which could either be sunlight from the outside world or the headlights of a bullet train. Too crude of a metaphor? Perhaps so, but the meaning was fairly straightforward. Either you were right or you were wrong; plain and simple. Only, in the case with the latter, the sense of betrayal tends to lead others down a more jaded and cynical outlook on life. To that end, Takitsubo halfheartedly gave her condolences to the boy in advance; just in case.

"Touma, Touma, look at all these shops! Which one can we stop at first?" Index, completely ignoring the #4, quickly went from leading them to securing herself by the boy's side. Her hands shaking his arm like a child as she looked up at him with eyes that were practically shining with exuberance. "I read that there were games with prizes at these festivals. Can we play them? What about the fireworks? Will we have to wait long to see them? And food! Can we get some wata-ame first? Oh! Or maybe-"

Mugino's eyes had never been more focused on the nun than they were right now. The second the nun closed the gap between them to the moment she started tugging on his hand. Amber brown pools never turned away from her; not once. Those same pools became increasingly more spiteful the longer she watched the nun tug at her lover's arm. All of these were telltale signs that the #4 was not thrilled about this display of familiarity and closeness. Either that or she was growing particularly aggravated by the yukata garbed nun's childish behavior. Takitsubo, in her personal opinion, was unsure if it was one, the other, or a combination of both.

Not that it would matter all too much at the rate things were going. From the earpiece, the AIM Stalker could already hear Saiai and Frenda mutter how dead that girl was going to be. They were at a safe distance, less noticeable, and therefore their perspective suffered from limitations. Takitsubo, in contrast to them, had a front-row seat and thereby a much clearer picture to look at.

...a second wave of condolences was sent Kamijou's way.

Less half-hearted this time...but only by a little bit.

* * *

It seemed as though someone up there was listening.

Much to the surprise of those observing them from afar, no anger-induced meltdown had come. They had imagined that something of the sort would have unfolded, yet it did not. Opposed to lashing out, and perhaps ruining the entire festival, Mugino did nothing. Instead she merely watched as the boy was tugged away from the rest to view the first among many attractions the festival provided. Which became the trend as the young girl proceeded to all but drag the boy behind her from one venue to the next. This left the little girl and the Meltdowner to take up the rear as they followed behind them.

The former of the two was in an awkward state of being. She was smiling, she looked like she was enjoying the festivities, but her _joie de vivre_ was a bit tarnished. This was because of the girl taking up the spot to her left, whom she was occasionally sneaking glances at. These stolen glances were done with good reason. Especially since Mugino's vexation was gradually reaching the point of critical mass.

Clearly she was not happy with the current state of things.

In spite of how cross her mood appeared, she did not make a single crude remark. Takitsubo suspected that she most certainly was _thinking_ a plethora of derogatory annotations at the boyfriend stealing nun. All pretenses regarding subtly had long since been dismissed. Leaving every sign of displeasure to be seen clear as day to those observant enough to notice them. Beyond these signs of aggravation, such as her clenched jaw and the narrowed eyelids to name a few, no actions were made against the nun. She did not move to break the two apart and there were no verbal quips that came out from her lips.

Temporarily, that is, as this Takitsubo firmly believed that her restraint was short-term at best.

...probably.

"...I don't know how you manage to get super close to them without being noticed." Kinuhata bewildered voice abruptly filling her ear almost caused her to involuntarily jump out of sheer surprise. Which, thankfully, did not happen as that would have been pretty embarrassing. "At some point, you _really_ need to give us a rundown on how you do it. It would make quite a few jobs a lot easier for us if you did."

"It probably helps that her natural hair color isn't blonde like mine and Hamazura's is." Piped in Frenda, closely followed by a noise that made Rikou's listless eyes show signs of concern. From her side of the earpiece, it sounded like the poor girl had choked on a fish-bone or something. "... _herlig._ I just basically compared myself to Hamazura. I'm now tempted to go out and dye my hair pink to avoid doing that again."

"You know, I can super picture you with pink hair. I think it might even suit you better than blonde does."

Kinuhata's attempt to portray herself as being supportive was a guaranteed failure. A snort of laughter had come before the remark itself and the mirth in her tone had not been repressed enough. And, as expressed in the past, these ear-pieces were damn good at what they did. Frenda was not dumb, deaf, or ignorant; she would see the patronizing remark for what it was.

"Don't make fun of me, Kinuhata! I'm seriously having a crisis right now!"

Thus prompting Frenda's urgent, almost desperate, retort. Within reason, of course, since she did not want to give herself away.

Meanwhile, from afar, Takitsubo merely rolled her eyes as she listen to things play out.

Frenda's internal and external crisis aside, the AIM Stalker had to acknowledge that there was some truth to that. Not the pink hair bit, though she did agree that the color would not look bad on the blonde. It would also make her stand out, which was the whole point of the topic she had brought up. Rikou knew she looked plain, unimportant, and easily dismissible; such were factors that made her useful. Nobody pays much mind to a girl who did not actively try to draw attention to herself. Which is how she was often able to get around so easily. The more casual the attire, the easier it became to go about unnoticed; opposed to if she were wearing more fashionable clothing like her peers.

Granted she still brought some attention to herself by always wearing her tracksuit.

Even so, that was a conscious decision on her part.

In her own defense, it was a quick outfit to don and damn comfortable to wear. Also it made hiding a few extra pounds without raising suspicions easier to do. The latter of the two factoids was a more personal admission which she did not have plans to divulge aloud. Putting all that aside, even while garbed in a yukata, Takitsubo was naturally good at blending in. Much more than the other two due to her natural inconspicuous nature. She was of decent height for her age, she was dressed accordingly, and her appearance was pretty lackluster. Simple minute details, like hair color and style, had a much greater impact than people realized.

Which aptly explained why she could be so close to Mugino's group and maintain her anonymity.

She had gone so far as to stand directly behind them at the booth parallel to the one they stopped at.

"You don't seem to be enjoying yourself, Mugino-chan; do you not like festivals?"

The chatter between Frenda and Kinuhata came to a halt once their leader's name was heard being spoken. Courtesy of the little girl, whose concern had finally driven her to speak up.

"It's not a particularly thrilling experience for me, to be honest." Her barely subdued contempt further showcased her honesty in how 'thrilled' she was at this moment in time. "Most of the games are rigged, the prizes are inexpensive or just shit, the food is overpriced, and fireworks are barely a highlight. If you've seen one fireworks show, you've seen them all. Which is why I don't get why we need to cater to the fucking brat with all this."

At least she did not say the food was bad. Overpriced, yes, but she did not flat-out say that it was bad. Takitsubo would have otherwise been a little upset at hearing this. Not that anyone of ITEM was blaming the Meltdowner for this jaded viewpoint. They lived and thrived in a very cynical side of Academy City. All the simple pleasantries life could offer them were provided at the cost of their own individual innocence. That was the price they paid for stepping into the dark. As such, events on such a small scale like this were hardly a footnote in their lives. It was not to say that they could not enjoy it; rather it was harder for them than it was for most.

"I don't recall _needing_ to bring her here and you were not necessarily forced to come either." That same little girl, without missing a beat, responded to that remark with an oddly frivolous voice. "Besides, even if she has been in Japan for awhile, Index-san is still a foreigner. To the best of our knowledge, she hasn't been given an opportunity to experience our celebratory customs this freely before. So I don't look at it as us going out of our way to service her with entertainment. Instead, I'd like to think of her as an exchange student that's finally being given a proper chance to delve into Japanese culture."

It is worth noting that both of these ladies had their sights set on the backs of two particular people a short ways ahead of them. A quick peek over her shoulder allowed Takitsubo to see this. Kamijou and Index were patiently waiting–well, Kamijou was, Index was bouncing on her heels in anticipation–for the fried squid that was ordered. This left the two ladies in the median of the path, caught between the two separate rows of stalls. If a guess was needed to be ventured here, then the stalker had could assume these two had some relative privacy to speak without fear of being heard.

Unless someone was actively trying to listen in, of course.

"What sensei thinks is that Mugino-chan might be a little bit jealous."

The moxie on that little girl was almost jaw-dropping.

Then again, Takitsubo had already suspected something of that nature to be the case. Ordinarily, Mugino was not so easy to gauge unless she was provoked. From there it would become quite telling what her current state of emotions were. As of the past couple months, however, that became increasingly difficult due to it taking more to severely agitate her. Having said that, the notion of jealousy came to mind the instant she saw her reaction to Index earlier. For that matter, it had been present since the very moment she laid eyes on the two together in the presence of Kamijou. About the only people who did not see it were those not paying it much mind.

So the revelation of that being the cause of the Meltdowner's ire was not surprising in the slightest. What was off-putting to those listening was how the delivery of this information came so bluntly. That little girl had gone as far as make it sound as though she were teasing her about it. Hell that took Mugino herself by surprise; as proven by how her head whirled to the side to peer down at her. Whether or not that girl returned the stare was something Takitsubo could not personally confirm. She had turned away not long after her reaction came. Jerking away right as she turned would have been noticeable, hence why she had done so calmly so as to avoid that.

Although she doubted Mugino would have been paying attention to anyone else right now.

"Hot! It's too hot!"

Thankfully the situation was salvaged by Index's outcry and subsequent re-emergence into the group alongside Kamijou.

"Then don't eat it yet! It's not going anywhere, let it cool down first before you try and inhale it like a starving child." Chided the teen as the two approached. Another quick peek revealed that they were holding a total of four or five skewers in their hands. Kamijou, for his part, was holding three, one of which he had brought up to his nose. "I have to admit, they do smell good. It's been awhile since I've had one of these at a festival."

Index, on the other hand, was puffing her cheeks as she stared at the two she was holding. As if her pouting face and pensive stare would deter the heat and cool the skewered squid faster. Cute, but Takitsubo would not be surprised if the nun were to risk a another attempt. After all, she did look extremely tempted to burn her tongue a second time just to consume the tasty soy-sauce coated morsel.

"That was fast," Speaking of fast, the rate in which the little girl's tone went from teasing to mild surprise was top notch. "Weren't they still being cooked as we were coming up?"

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are with how lucky we were." Began Kamijou, as he moved to hand one over for her to take, which she did. "That vender was about to pull these off the grill right when we got there. Not only did that save us some time, but they're also freshly cooked. I'd say it played out really well. Nothing's worse than cooked Ikayaki that's been sitting out for who knows how long."

There was a pause once he had finished explaining as he held out the other one for Shizuri.

"...thanks..."

That did not sound disingenuous at all.

"...aaare you not a fan of Ikayaki, Shizuri?"

"I don't mind, not a huge fan, but I won't say no if it's being offered to me." Mugino's neutral response was provided after she had plucked the skewer offered to her and had taken to inspecting it. "What I do mind is that it's doused in fucking soy-sauce. All it takes is one bite and your face ends up looking a mess. Especially when you don't have any napkins; which, by the way Kamijou, really? Do I need to remind you that these yukata are rentals?"

"Ah, crap...I knew I forgot to grab something."

"Right, good, go grab some extras, especially with that–hey! Don't fucking eat it like that you failure of a nun! Are you _trying_ to make a god-damn mess!?"

"Uwaaah! Touma, help, she's making that face at me! That Scary Faced floozy is going to do that claw thing to me again!"

Fortunately, no repeated sounds of violence occurred. Although events did still ensue, such as some startled outcries as well as more coarse language. Sadly Takitsubo did not turn back to watch it all as it unfolded and instead took this opportunity to slip away. Casually mirroring a trio of other yukata-clad youths as they excused themselves from the scene with great haste. She did make out a distinctly loud 'GAH!' coming from a male source; which she presumed to be Kamijou. Curiosity over this uproar, however, had no sway on the AIM Stalker's mind by this point.

She was far too busy pondering over one of the trio's headband and the flowers that were on it.

Were those real?

Hard to tell.

* * *

It took about five or so minutes for Takitsubo to see the group once again.

Nobody was sporting any bruises or burns; which was a good thing to take note of. In fact, had she not seen it, Takitsubo would not have known anything had happened. Assuming she feigned ignorance about the cause behind the large stain on the front of Kamijou's shirt. Regardless, with their dispute out of the way, it appeared as though the group had finally starting to settle into the festive mood. Chatting between themselves, stopping at stalls, and participating in the various games that were scattered about. Even the Meltdowner herself had succumb to the festivities; try as she might to exclude herself from them on several occasions.

Kamijou coaxed her a few times, while the little girl had to, once quite literally, push her with some of the others.

Surprisingly enough, it was Index who had succeeded the most in goading her into playing most of them. Playing off of Mugino's pride was the key to getting her to act on her own volition. That sort of awareness gave rise to the idea that the nun was not all as she appeared. The fact that she understood the Level 5's flaw and exploited it to gain results was quite informative to those observing. What it told them was that Index, despite how she seemed, was far more observant than the stalkers had given her credit for. Not to say that the others had failed outright, rather it showed that the girl was a bit less naive than she let on.

Quite the surprise if this Takitsubo were to be honest with herself.

Then again, it was possible that she was looking much deeper into it than she should.

Although this method did eventually backfire on the nun. Specifically when they came up to a booth that was selling some masks. Index, unable to restrain herself, made a comment about how the Meltdowner should get one. While Kamijou and the little girl started coaxing her into it, Index had gone ahead and made a suggestion for her. Her choice consisted of a cartoonish-looking Hannya mask which, she claimed, would be an improvement for her actual face. Needless to say, prying the #4's hand off a then screaming nun's scalp quickly became the top priority for them. Somehow they managed to break it up before Judgment was called over to resolve it.

Index had since made sure to keep herself well out of Mugino's reach; glaring at her with watery eyes as they went.

That did not stop them from steadily moving further and further down the boardwalk though. The fireworks were likely to start popping off in roughly half an hour or so. They had time left to indulge themselves before the main event of the evening arrived. Currently, three-fourths of the party were occupying themselves at another gaming venue; a Ningyo Sukui one this time. Two of them were not really playing, more like giving support to the third who was. The fourth member opted to not get involved; using the guise of getting a refreshment as her excuse. Takitsubo was thankful that she did not have to move far to keep tabs on her.

However...there was a slight issue that came about from this decision.

That issue being, as she was heading back, she encountered someone.

"Geh."

A short haired someone, dolled up in an orange yukata, who undoubtedly recognized her and was not pleased by it.

"...oh, wonderful, it's you again."

Someone who Mugino also seemed to have recognized and expressed her mutual felt displeasure of stumbling across them.

"J-j-jeg må gjemme meg."

Frenda, speaking dread-filled murmurings in her native tongue over the com-link, did not alleviate any concerns. If anything they reinforced the notion that things were about to turn sour. It should be noted that the two ladies were less than fifteen feet from where Takitsubo was currently observing. Not quite in the middle of the path yet also not entirely close to the booths on the corresponding side they were on. To elaborate further, they were each facing down the path, one facing the path she and Mugino's group had come from and the other facing where they intended to go.

All that being said, traffic was not being hindered at all, people were passing them by without a hint of concern.

Frenda's foreign remark made this Takitsubo suspect that, maybe, these people should _start_ showing come concern.

"What's wrong with you Frenda?" Kinuhata unknowingly voiced Takitsubo's unease as well as her own. "Is that girl someone we need to be worrying about?"

"T-th-that's Tokiwadai's Ace, the #3 Level 5, the Railgun Misaka Mikoto."

Now _that_ was knowledge that put even Takitsubo on edge. It was a reasonable question to ask and one that Takitsubo wished to know as well. Two Level 5's clashing against one another was a scenario that not many people wanted to witness firsthand. Sure, some may believe that it would be a spectacle to watch. To some degree, yes, it would be a sight to behold. Yet that would only last up until the spectators became collateral damage. From there, it devolved from being a show and more like a struggle to survive and escape the immediate area. Like sitting in a car during a hurricane; exhilarating at first but gradually becomes more terrifying the longer you're in it.

"B-basically, this isn't going to end well." Sputtered out Frenda, her voice becoming lower and lower in volume as she talked. "I can't let her see me, otherwise she'll make me spill every bit the information I have."

"What in the super hell did you do!?"

Sadly, Kinuhata was not able to grill the blonde for information before the fellow Level 5 spoke up again.

"What are you doing here, hag?"

Mikoto both looked and sounded repulsed at the very notion of speaking to the #4, much less be in close proximity to her.

"What the hell do you think, piss-ant?" Though her face did not show it, the feeling was reciprocated to some degree or another. "I'm enjoying a summer evening, that's what."

"Then shouldn't you be out doing something more your speed?" Repulsion contorted into contempt as she took to scanning the area around them. Though, what the girl was looking for was a mystery that this Takitsubo could not deduce. "I pictured you being the type to avoid going to events that were so far beneath you. You certainly don't look the type person to be merrily playing Wanage."

Actually, as it so happens, yes she had indeed been playing ring-toss a short time ago.

Not necessarily in a gaily manner–in actuality it was more or less in a competitive fashion–but it counted all the same.

"Oh? Are you trying to say I'm not allowed to be here, brat?" Mikoto's remark was met with an equal amount of disdain from Mugino. Unlike with the other Level 5, her voice had a more amused tinge laced within it. "Of course, I'm not surprised to find you here of all places; it's definitely up your alley. I'm more surprised that your ivory garden doesn't have something going on in there tonight. Guess even sheltered little cunts like you need to get out every so often."

"And I figured you'd be out with that idiot instead of being here by yourself." Countered back Mikoto, now visibly flustered at the Meltdowner, yet somehow barely maintaining the appearance of being unperturbed. "Where is he anyway? Did he get sick of you or something? Are you here to fill up on comfort food after a fight or something?"

"I told you last time that I don't like people, or _brats_ , prying into my fucking business." In an instant, all amusement left her visage as it grew threatening while her tone became more clipped. "That marks the second time that you've tried. Do it a third time and, I shit you not, there'll only be six Level 5's in this city instead of seven."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Consider it a promise."

Alright, _now_ things were starting to get worrisome.

"Then bring it on, old hag."

"Gladly, nosey little brat."

Confident and ecstatic, two traits that summed up the Railgun's emotions best; the small toothy grin serving as proof of this. Further emphasized by her fist slamming into her open palm as she gazed across at the taller female. Mugino, more or less, shared the same degree of self-assurance and fervor as Mikoto. Her arms crossing beneath her bust as a small ,pleased yet sinister, smile surfaced on her own lips. Nobody paying them mind could miss the sparks of aggression that clashed between these two as they each held their respected gazes. Metaphorically speaking, of course, since neither of these girls were actively using their abilities.

Otherwise there was a high likelihood that something would have short-circuited by now. Such an outcome was to be expected when the #3 and #4 Level 5 Espers were occupying the same space at the same time. Fortunately, before any large-scale damage could be dealt, a third party had stepped into the picture. As in, quite literally, casually strolled up to the ladies about ready to fight at a moments notice.

"...oi, Shizuri, Biri-Biri, what you two doing..."

Kamijou's incurious tone of voice belied the question he had posed. Judging by how quickly both girls showed signs of being startled was clue enough that they did not take note of his approach either. As such, Takitsubo could guess that he likely was not looking to receive an immediate or adequate answer. The whole point of this question was purely for the sake of shock-value; to break the two out of their intense staring contest. Given what this Takitsubo had seen a second ago, it appeared to have been effective.

"W-wha-when did you get here!?" Having whirled around, the Tokiwadai student voice shifted from confident and calm to alarmed in an instant. Red-faced and annoyed, she soon thereafter pointed accusingly at the spiky-haired face; who did not so much as blink. "A-and didn't anyone ever teach you not to sneak up on people, you idiot!"

"I didn't sneak, I walked up to you both and asked a question." The lethargic drawl in his voice further influenced how utterly unfazed by the Railgun's accusation. "If you were paying attention, at least one of you would have noticed me coming."

"We were just chatting, Kamijou, calm down." Mugino's impartial response was met with a cynical look from Kamijou; which the #4 did not take well. "Oi, don't give me that look. I don't pick fights in public places...well, not too often anyway. Besides, it wasn't even me who tried to instigate a brawl out of the blue."

"This time."

"You say something, shitty brat?"

"Yeah, go get your hearing checked, damn ha–"

"Okay! That's enough of that!" Like a referee in a boxing match, the spiky haired lad stepped in-between the two ladies. Less more insults get thrown out and disaster ends up ruining everyone's evening. "Let's cool our heads and calm down; we don't need to be starting any trouble. We're all here to have fun and enjoy ourselves, right? That extends to everyone else as well. Let's not ruin it for everyone else just because you two can't get along."

Usually dull eyes watched light-heartedly as both ladies shifted from Kamijou to their aggressor. A cycle that repeated itself a few times before eventually ending with both backing off. Mikoto huffing with her arms crossed whereas Mugino sucked her teeth as a finger toyed with a loose strand of hair. For his part, Kamijou looked exasperated, but at the same time mildly satisfied with the situation resolved. Takitsubo actually had to commend him for stepping up to them the way he did. Mugino may be...different than she was in the past, but there were still periods where she became fairly unpredictable.

"So...with that out of the way, are you by yourself Biri-Biri?"

"...huh?"

"What?" His inquiry was genuine, that much was fairly obvious by this point. "You didn't come all this way to watch fireworks on your own, did you?

"N-no, I'm–"

"Onee-sama~!"

Three sets of eyes–six counting the stalkers–looked over to see another girl with twin-tails roughly nine yards away. She was shorter in stature compared to Mikoto and wore a yukata that was a lighter shade of purple than Shizuri's own. Given the direction, Mikoto was the one who had to turn her full profile around to see. Thus making her expression go unseen by those who were nearest her. All those near except for Takitsubo, who could easily make out the face she currently wore. It was not dread per se, frustration was positively the apt term to use here. Apparently 'onee-sama' was referring to her and the honorific had evoked some degree of irritation.

"She needs to stop calling me that in public."

"Eh?"

"N-nothing, nothing at all! I gotta go!"

Just like that, as abruptly as she came, the Railgun had shuffled off as quickly as she could towards the girl calling out for her. Leaving Kamijou and Mugino behind to watch as she departed. Between the two of them, the latter appeared to be content with parting ways. As for the former, he was busy scratching at the back of his scalp, watching in bewilderment as Mikoto caught up with her friend. A few quick seconds passed and Kamijou, in his confusion, glanced over at Shizuri who still showed signs of satisfaction.

"What was that all about?"

Shizuri, of all the things she could have said, chose silence...for moment or two.

"Don't know, don't care," This straightforward reply was accompanied by a shrug of her shoulders. "I say good riddance. Dealing with one brat is enough of a hassle. Anymore than that and I'll end up getting a damn migraine."

"Be nice, Shizuri."

Mugino merely waved her hand dismissively, hooking her arm around his as they turned back towards the direction of the others. Takitsubo, having remained unnoticed by all parties, made the conscious choice to stay back for a moment. Developments like these tended to take time to absorb. At least it seemed that way; the communication link was dead quiet minus the background chatter that was somewhat bleeding into her ear-piece.

"Frenda," Ultimately it was broken by Kinuhata's jarringly calm voice coming through the ear-piece. "About that super 'she'll make me spill all of the info I have' bit you mentioned earlier..."

Again, there was silence; a tense silence that lasted a fair bit longer than the first.

"Teehee~"

One could almost _feel_ the animosity emanating through the ear-piece thereafter.

For the time being, observation of the Meltdowner was being put on hold.

* * *

Ten minutes.

For ten whole minutes, Frenda was grilled by Saiai for every single detail that she was withholding from them.

Takitsubo would readily admit that was not as concerned about it as Kinuhata was. The Dark May Survivor made her displeasure at the blonde's carelessness quite clear. Of course the AIM Stalker was inclined to point out that she did not have much room to talk; for she too had been equally careless. What separated the two ladies was that had one left the encounter more fortunate than the other. However, one should remember that she was the Queen of Don't-Give-A-Damn for a reason. Thus explaining why she did not point this out. Besides, often times it was better to wait and play a good card at a point where it would be the most effective.

Plus, it would mean the Seivelun would owe a small debt of gratitude later down the line.

...probably...

By the nine minute mark, Saiai and Frenda's robust discussion had begun to wrap up.

By the eleventh minute, both girls were ready to get back into doing what they had originally come here for. Although, personally, Takitsubo did not know _what_ they were even doing or hoping to gain at this point. Not much had changed, no new developments had arisen. So what was the point? What was there to gain from watching them play games, eat food, and generally have a good time? As far as she was concerned all of them should be right there with them, in the open, enjoying themselves. Once again, Takitsubo could not help but ask what was the point of all this?

Was there _ever_ a point to doing any of this in the first place?

She would like to think that these were reasonable questions.

If nothing else she did get to enjoy the main event the same way everyone else had. Much like those around them, the group she was shadowing had taken in the spectacle for what it was. The loud boom of the rockets bursting into vibrant colors left onlookers in various states of awe. Some cases of wonder being less genuine than others. Especially in the case of Mugino, who looked downright bored with the entire show. Although ITEM's resident tracker did note her trying to use this moment to get closer to him. She would have succeeded too had the nun, in a state of childlike glee, not started tugging at his arm and forced him closer towards her instead.

Try as she might to subdue her agitation, it was plain to see that Mugino looked...well, to put it bluntly, flat-out pissed.

As far as the Stalking Trio could tell, this was not a brief spell of contempt either. Much like the first time they had noticed this behavior when they had arrived at the festival. This time, however, it festered for a much longer period of time. It festered both during and after the fireworks. Festered as the festivities began to die down and festered more once the group had decided it was time to leave. Even when they were treading down a faintly illuminated cobblestone road, Mugino's irritation did not quell. Bear in mind that this was after roughly ten or so minutes of walking at leisurely set pace.

No one was in a particular rush and yet Mugino was _still_ pissed. There was no clearer sign of jealousy than that. Then again, if a reason needed to be given, it was likely because of what the nun was doing. What was she doing? To put it frankly, yet again, she was occupying what Frenda astutely dubbed ' _Mugino's spot'._ In other words, putting herself as close to his side as possible while tugging at his hand.

All the while delightedly expressing every single thought that entered her to mind.

"Touma, Touma, you felt it too didn't you? That feeling in your stomach whenever those fireworks popped with that loud bang! You felt that too same feeling too, right?"

"Y-yeah, I guess that's one way of putting it."

Kamijou was the unfortunate soul stuck between these two ladies. On one side was Mugino while on the other was Index. Unlike the latter, the Meltdowner was not able to hold the boy's attention long enough compared to the nun. As a result she opted to keep her arms crossed and feign indifference. A performance that failed due to the sour expression that simply would not leave her face. That was not a guess by the Stalkers either, they actually saw a glimpses of it at various points and noted no change whatsoever.

"Sensei needs to remind you that this was a small-scale event." Commented Komoe from the nun's left, using a tone that best suited her merriment and earning the attention of the girl as a result. "If Index-san thinks that tonight's display was impressive, just wait. The Daihaseisai event is around the end of next month. At six-thirty pm the whole city lights up so brightly that it overpowers the lights from the stars in the night sky."

It was hard to wrap their heads around the fact that someone who looked and sounded so young was a teacher. A fact that came with the discovery of her name; both of which were uncovered during the latter half of the evening. Putting that detail aside, Index for her part was practically glowing with anticipation. So it seemed anyway, because she suddenly became increasingly bouncy from her place beside the spiky-haired Kamijou.

"Touma, we can go to that as well, can't we?"

Her voice was filled with hope, her excitement overshadowing the dreadful undertones of concern at being told otherwise.

"Daihaseisai is a city-wide event, damn brat." Scathing as her tone came off as, Mugino's words could actually be interpreted in a positive fashion if one were to squint. "Unless your ass gets deported out of the city, then you'll get to go. Just don't expect the same sorta things you saw tonight. At best, you'll probably be sitting in bleachers while Kamijou here does all the participating."

She did actually turn to address them and had emphasized the last part by driving her finger into the side of the said boy's skull. Said boy's shoulders had apparently sunk at the mention of this. His head had given no resistance as it tilted over to the side from her actions. As for the nun, judging from what they could interpret at this distance, she looked perplexed by this news. Having gone from looking at Touma, to Mugino, to Komoe, and repeating the cycle a good couple times.

"Prepare to witness my misfortune at its greatest." Thank whatever divine being exists that the area was barely occupied. Otherwise the stalkers would have missed these grumbled remarks from Kamijou. "Worse yet it'll happen on live TV for the whole world to see. My parents, my relatives, everyone will see me at my worst...oh damn I'm already dreading it."

"...huh?"

"Um, s-sensei will explain more about it later Index-san."

Would she be explaining Daihaseisai or the infamous misfortune that Kamijou kept going on about? This had not been the first time they had heard him mention it after all. So if it was the second option then they would be more than happy to listen in for some much needed context. Having some understanding would certainly help explain why he was so concerned about it. As far as they knew, at this moment, it was a just running gag between him and the Meltdowner. Such was the assumption anyway and until it is confirmed otherwise such was how it would remain to be viewed.

Speaking of views, with their departure came the Stalking Trio reassembling to continue tailing the group as one unit. Meaning there was no need for Takitsubo to appease the girls by taking part in it any further. She had done more this evening than the established amount of damns usually allowed her to. No surprise that, when they began tailing them, she had put her focus on her phone. For the sake of the other's paranoia, she had the presence of mind to keep it on vibrate only. But this action from her cemented the fact to the others that she was officially done for tonight.

Her solitary reason for not skipping out entirely was based purely for Frenda's sake.

Otherwise she was positive Kinuhata would strangle her on the way home.

...almost positive...

...probably...

"Since it's so late and all, Mugino-chan, should sensei give you a ride home?"

"Thanks, but I'll be fine; I just gotta get out of these damn clothes."

"Ah, that reminds me, you picked some really good ones Shizuri." The compliment, courtesy of her lover, was met with a light scoff. "I mean it, you all look great. I damn well couldn't have afforded any of it. Plus this is the first time I've seen you go all out in making yourself look...well, this amazing for such a small event."

"It's not even a drop in the bucket for me, Kamijou; you should know that by now."

"I think what Kamijou-chan finds more important is that you helped in getting us into the festive mood." Whether or not this was true was irrelevant; she was satisfied and showed it by shooting the girl a glance and a smile over her shoulder. "Sensei hasn't been in a yukata like this in a long time. It might not matter much to you, but we are grateful for your generosity. Just like how sensei's grateful for being invited to join you three tonight."

"I already told you: it's the least we could do after everything that had happened." Retorted the boy, whose statement was accompanied by the eager nodding of a certain nun by his side. "You came through for us when you really didn't have to. I couldn't and still can't thank you enough for taking care of me when I was unconscious those three days."

"What sort of sensei would I be if I didn't help a student who needed help?" It was a rhetorical question, but she nevertheless looked and sounded giddy about receiving the praise. "Still, you're most certainly welcome Kamijou-chan. Just promise me that, next time, it doesn't end with my roof being blown off."

Count two girls flinching by a slight margin at the mere mention of this. On top of that, both of these girls shared a similar discomfort over this topic. This had either gone unnoticed by Kamijou or he had seen it and elected to ignore it. Whichever the case may be, the Stalking Trio noticed it and like that a puzzle piece fell right into their lap. Now they understood why Mugino had been absent for so long. Now it made sense why she had been going on jobs by herself. Their patience had finally given them palpable proof that Kamijou was the underlying reason behind it. They had their assumptions yet they lacked the hows and whys; now they had both.

Someone had painted a target on Kamijou's back.

Mugino, in retaliation, had been out hunting those responsible.

It further expanded Frenda and Kinuhata's viewpoint in regards to her relationship. The lengths to which she was willing to go solely for his sake. Being obsessive was not a trait any of them were ignorant about. They knew what it meant when someone truly, indisputably, and severely pissed off the Meltdowner. It meant that said person was either dead or on the fast track to becoming that way. Someone using her lover as leverage or as a method to show control over her would not end well for said someone. ITEM had heavy backers and, if she wanted to, she could get all the information she would ever need to find and kill that person.

In the wake of this explanation came the rise of a new query.

Who had found out about her relationship and yet was stupid enough to try and exploit it?

Such was the million yen question in play. A question which the two ladies were silently mulling over in their minds as the group ahead of them continued their journey home. Takitsubo was remaining impartial to it all because, frankly, she was called in to help the #4 around that time. A minor detail which she had never confessed to. In her own defense, neither Frenda nor Kinuhata had actually asked her for those details. This was what differentiated her case from the Seivelun; who deliberately chose to reveal only half of the facts. She would not deny her involvement if pressed but she was not going out of her way to bring the subject up.

Putting that aside, the journey to their destination had run its course. Eventually the trail would end with the group standing at the front of a bland-looking apartment complex. Something to note about this area was that it was considerably dark. The elevation from the light should have illuminated more than it actually did. That said, getting to the stone wall near the edge of the complex was not hard to do. At least it would not be difficult under normal circumstances. Sneaking around out the open wearing a yukata was no easy feat. Especially when it involved a limited window of opportunity where timing is most important.

Only by grace and good fortune did the stalkers manage to make it there unnoticed. A contributing factor to that success had unknowingly come from Kamijou himself. For he had abruptly ceased his movements on the last step on the cement stairs. A peculiar action that did not fail in gartering the attention of those around him.

"Hey, Index, can you go on ahead with sensei to get changed?" He sounded unsure, guilty almost, with his sudden request; scratching at the nape of his neck as he spoke. "I have some things I'd like to talk about with Mugino for a bit. It shouldn't take too long; five-to-ten minutes at the most."

Inquisition shifted to trepidation within a few people's expressions; most dominantly in that of Index herself. Based on what little they could see, she did not seem necessarily thrilled with the notion at all. In fact, based on her shuffling movements and what little of her face they could make out, she was all but vocally against it. A fact that was almost rectified as her mouth opened to argue against it. Before that could happen, however, Kamijou's hand lightly came to rest itself on the top of her head. She flinched at first, but relaxed once she realized that there was no pressure being applied this time.

"Please?"

A plea that genuine, combined with that innocent form of action, might as well be counted as foul play.

With cheeks puffing and her brow furrowed, Index cast her glaring eyes at Mugino. At any other opportunity, the Level 5 probably would have sneered at her or otherwise offer a rude hand-gesture out of spite. She did none of these things though, too busy looking at her lover with equal amounts of confusion as the rest had. No doubt seeing this, without words and her head still under the boy's palm, the nun begrudgingly gave her response with a nod. A lighthearted laugh and a light pat was what prompted the nun to go. She did shoot the girl one last glare before following Komoe up the steps and to the far end of the complex.

Leaving Kamijou and Mugino alone to be cast in the glow of a dull light bulb of the lamppost nearby.

"Is there a reason for this?"

It was the Meltdowner who broke the ice upon hearing the resounding click of a formerly-squeaky door being closed.

"Does there need to be?" Counted Kamijou with a grunt as sat down on the top of the solid stone steps. "Don't worry, it's not something important...actually it is; but not in the way you're probably thinking. I just wanted to sit down and enjoy a bit of time with you. To me it feels like we haven't really been able to do much of that lately."

The brief pause and rapidly blinking eyes told the stalkers that Mugino had been slightly taken aback by this.

"Well that's...forward of you." Even so, she rebounded quickly enough to sit down next to him on the top step soon after. "Usually I'm the one who's being blunt. Can't say I'm not happy about that though. I guess being cooped up with that nun fulltime is starting to get to you."

"She's not that bad." His denial lasted less than a quarter of a second before he was subjected to the #4's deadpan stare. "What? Index really isn't that bad. My only real complaint is that she eats practically everything. Most of the time, though, she's absorbed in some mahō shōjo show."

"So, what, she's basically a freeloader?"

"...that's accurate but you make it sound so pessimistic." An elbow jab to the ribs would have been his reward for that remark had he not blocked it. "Seriously, isn't there a better or nicer way of saying that? I imagine calling her a freeloader would be too degrading. Plus I don't want to make her feel like she's a bother."

"Does she cook, clean, or do anything remotely productive?" All watched as Kamijou opened his mouth to refute, close it after as his brow furrowed in thought, and eventually become downcast. "Then there go, it's settled, she's a freeloader. If she doesn't like being called that, she'll have to contribute around your place."

From their place behind the average-height stone wall, a fluffy blonde girl nodded her head in agreement. Mugino had said worse things to people for less than reasonable things in the past. By this Seivelun's standards, which was unknowingly mirrored by Kinuhata, Mugino's logic was defensible.

"I'm not gonna call her that."

"Fine, that won't stop me from doing it."

"You can be a real bully sometimes, you know that right?"

"Can you blame me?" Asked the Level 5, shifting her body slightly in some way to better draw his attention. "I won't sit here, lie and say that I like the brat. Truth is I don't, I don't like that she's basically been dropped into our lives. You wanted to help her and that's exactly what you did. Wasn't that enough? Now, all of a sudden, you're her new acting caretaker. Did they even ask if that would be inconvenient for you? No, they didn't, they left her here and passed her off to you like some fucking stray animal. Couldn't those bible-thumping magicians have taken her to fuck-off nowhere along with them or something?"

"Shizuri, we've had a good night, can we avoid having an argument about this?"

"I'm not-!" She cut herself off once she realized her voice had gone up a few decimals higher than intended. Schooling features and with a calming breath, she tried again. "I'm not arguing about it, Touma; I'm venting. You got your ass kicked into a coma because of someone you barely even know. And right when you wake up you do some other reckless shit that ends with you being put into the hospital. In return, the red-headed fucker and his bitch gave you nothing back. I don't like it, I don't like seeing you coming out that badly with nothing to show for it."

Her temper had started to flare up again near the end. Clearly having more to say, she took a moment to cool her temper down while Kamijou patiently waited. They could see that he wanted to interject at certain points, yet was refraining for the sake of letting her get what she had to say off her chest. Finally, after one particularly drawn-out exhale, she leveled the boy beside her with a...somewhat weary gaze.

"But, I get it, saving that brat was something you chose to do. You made that choice and stuck with it knowing you'd probably get nothing out of it aside from satisfaction of doing the right thing. I don't have to like or agree with it, but I get it; because that's who you are. That White Knight Syndrome you've got isn't an act, it's an integral part of what makes you, you. I can say shit about it all day and all night, but no amount of bitching from me is going to make you change."

The more Mugino had spoken her thoughts aloud, the lower her voice began to be. It was somber, not laced with sadness, just...quiet and more wry. As if she were acknowledging something that she did not want to concede to. No doubt Kamijou had noticed this as well. He should have considering he was literally sitting right next to her. A quick peek told them that, yes, he did. It showed in his now disheartened face as well as he looked on at the girl beside him. Bringing his arm around her shoulders to pull her closer to his side. Mugino had, at some point, looked away from him and continued to do so after being pulled closer to him. She did, however, cup her hand over the one resting on her left shoulder.

"And that bothers you, I know, I can see that now." His deflated admittance was met with silence, a silence that did not hinder him in speaking further. "When you reacted the way you did when I first woke up made that pretty clear to me. And you can go ahead and say 'I told you so', because you really did. I couldn't have saved Index on my own. I was scolded twice for thinking that I could. I should've listened and, in the end, I did save her; while I ended up being saved by you. If you hadn't been there then who knows what would've happened to me. For all we know, I could've ended up dead or worse."

If any of the girls had a notepad, they would have been furiously scribbling this stuff down.

Sadly they did not, so the best they could do was log them inside their memory-banks for future reference.

"I'm grateful for that, Shizuri; I mean it." Mugino was still not looking at him; not directly anyway. Her head had partially turned back in his direction, implying that she was indeed listening to him. "I know you were only doing it for my sake. I know you didn't really want any part of it to begin with. But at the end of the day, you gave me a push when I needed it most. You still supported me despite knowing how I am and the baggage that comes with me. I can't promise that I won't get into fights or end up getting hurt to help others. I can promise that, as long as you're willing to put up with me, I'll do my best to not keep you waiting for too long...which reminds me."

Without further warning, Kamijou removed his arm around his girlfriend and proceeded off the stone steps. Shizuri, along with the Stalking Trio, watched him as he took a few paces ahead with raised brows and puzzled frowns. Once there, he turned around to face the young woman before calmly settling down to knees on the road. To everyone's growing shock, Kamijou bent his until his forehead, his spiky hair, and his palms were all flush with the dirty road. No one among those watching could mistake what was taking place here. Kamijou was committing to a full-on dogeza out in the open street.

"I, Kamijou Touma, apologize for all the stress and worry I have put you through, Shizuri."

...shocking...

No, really, this new development was shocking.

"Kamijou," Called Mugino, her voice flat and steady as if in disbelief at what was happening literally right in front of her. "...what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I said I would," He answered her without once looking up. "Prostrating myself for the sake of earning your forgiveness."

"I can see that...but, why?"

"Komoe-sensei told me a lot of things; not everything, but enough. She told me that you came back after our fight that night. She told me how hard those three days were on both you and Index." Once more, he said this without raising his head a fraction off the ground. "Awhile ago I said that I'd gladly prostrate myself if I ever made you feel like I had abandoned you. While I might not have done that specifically, I might as well have with the way I had pushed you away. I wanted to show you that I wasn't joking, that those weren't empty words, and I that I meant them. There just hasn't been a good time or opportunity to talk to you about it since then."

The stalkers could be forgiven for forgetting a statement that was made two months ago.

They could not be forgiven for intruding on this private and deeply personal affair.

Without question, this was a truly real and sincere apology. The sort of apology that draws one's humility to the forefront. It was not something someone would do for a minor offense. By his own admission, he strongly felt as though he had wronged her. Whether or not Mugino shared in that sentiment was not important. It was unimportant because it was _him_ who felt it necessary to take it to such an extreme. To bring himself this low, sacrificing all pretenses of dignity and pride, for the sake of receiving a pardon. Any other person would be remiss to try such a thing to someone of Mugino's caliber. Putting oneself at her mercy was generally ill-advised.

Kamijou, however, was not any other person. He was her lover and his presence alone had subverted several of their presumptions in the past. Even so, this felt far too personal to be intruding on and it was taking them way out of their respective comfort zones. Stalkers they may be, the Dark-side they may reside in, they had enough humanity in them to feel things like pity, shame, or disappointment. And though some of those feelings were present, the most dominant emotion in play remained to be concern. Reason being the rise of Mugino's body as she stood up and stepped off the stone steps.

Subsequently, only a few paces were needed to approach boy who was still kneeling on the road.

Her expression could best be described as unreadable.

"...get the hell off the ground, you jackass!"

In a display of unprecedented strength, Mugino had taken a fist-full of Kamijou's shirt collar. With a forceful tug she succeeded in pulling said boy out of his dogeza pose. With his head now at waist height, his face exposed the nervous sweat that her choice of action had influenced. All parties, both involved and uninvolved, who were expecting a punch or a slap were not entirely mistaken. Yes, she did indeed strike at the top of his head with a downward fist; eliciting a yelp of pain afterwards. Promptly following this, however, was the sight of the #4 kneeling down until she was at eye-level with the boy on his knees on the road.

"I don't want ever see you degrade yourself like that again, asshole." Although there were aggressive undertones in her voice, it was not substantial enough to spill over into her overall calm demeanor. "Don't apologize for being who you are; not to me, not to that shitty nun, not to anyone. You want to be a White Knight, then go be one. If you want to save someone, save them. Stick to the damn script you wrote yourself and don't let anyone try to take that from you. Do you understand me, Kamijou? That's who you are, it's what you do, and, in case you forgot, it's what made us be what we are today."

In the heat of this moment, Mugino had reached down and took a firm grasp of his right hand.

Not to hold it, to instead raise it between the two of them, like a microphone, for both to see.

"You had the balls to call bullshit on my beliefs and ended up proving me wrong. When I was at my worst it was you who got through to me. So I won't sit here and tolerate you apologizing to me about being who you are. If you wanna play the role of hero, then do it. Just expect me to be right there with you every step of the way. Because I'm not the type of woman to see you off with a reassuring push on the back. I'm the woman who's clutching that shitty hand of yours as we go to kick whoever's ass we need to. If you can accept that, if you _let me help you,_ then I'll put up with you. I'll help you be the hero that you, me, and that damn nun all know you to be."

In those crappy TV dramas, this would be the part where Mugino uses this opportunity to embrace or kiss him. Instead, her head gently came forward until her brow was nearly resting on his own. Her hand had let go of his and had joined the other that came to rest on either side of his cranium. Good thing her hair was not down, otherwise they would have believed they were sharing a kiss right about now. This outcome had lead to both Frenda and Saiai feeling immensely satisfied with themselves for guessing this outcome.

They had gathered enough knowledge to know that the #4 would not follow the formula of some cheesy shōjo manga.

Who said they had learned nothing from their previous observations?

"You aren't alone anymore, I won't _let you_ be alone anymore." Her reassurance was evenly matched with the ferocity in which she was delivering it. "Keep that in mind next time you decide to do some stupid shit. 'Cause I won't be taking 'no' for an answer a second time; got it."

It took a few minutes, longer than it should have, for Kamijou to regain his wits. The whole scenario must have had him stupefied because he sat there blankly for that brief period. However, once that passed, the girls could faintly make out the beginnings of an uneasy smile starting to form.

"I thought you said you weren't the forgiving type Shizuri."

"I'm not, a compromise doesn't technically count as forgiveness, and don't change the subject you smartass."

"Alright, alright, fair enough." Although his hands were raised in the universal sign of surrender, that previously awkward smile grew more relaxed. "I understand...and thanks Shizuri."

Mugino had not released him at this point in time yet, so she was still well within his physical bubble. With the matter being concluded, her arms seemingly became limp as she finally let go of his head while sighing in exasperation. With the gaze of a dead fish, she eyed him for a few moments longer as he shuffled on the ground to get out of his kneeling position. An act which was not easy when someone stationary is literally right up in your business.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that Kami–"

The Meltdowner's comment was abruptly cut off as she had moved to stand. In the span of a few seconds several things happened at once. Kamijou had tried to stand up much like Mugino was around the same time. What made this an issue was that the boy's foot had been on the sleeve of the #4's yukata. This caused her arm to be snagged, leading to her squatting posture to lose its balance, and thus fall forward. Factor in the amount of space separating the two, or lack thereof, and it is reasonable to imagine that collision was inevitable. End result was Kamijou falling back onto his butt and Mugino hugging at his waist.

Sure, by all accounts this it did not sound so bad; finer details were what made it bad though. For one thing, she did not 'bump' into him gently when she fell. There was a reason the term 'collision' was used. Momentum along with the element of surprise was a bastard. Their combined forces made for a brutal head-butt to the boy's abdomen; knocking the air right out of him. Secondly, too much movement in a yukata may cause the obi to loosen. With that much movement alongside the snagged sleeve had fulfilled the requirements needed for the unraveling to commence.

So, no shit, there they were lying in a street coated in the dull limelight of the lamppost.

Mugino, without missing a beat, had a sensible reaction to this.

"Dammit!"

Kamijou, who was trying to fill his lungs with oxygen, did not.

"S-such misfortu–oh!" At least they thought so until his eyes nearly popped out of skull. "S-Shizuri, it's open, it's open! Why am I seeing more skin than I should be right now!? Are you one of those hardcore traditionalist!?"

"Jackass, quit fucking yelling and help me!"

It only got worse from there.

"Touma!? Are you done talk..." The pitter-patter of shoes on metal came to a stop as Index neared the side-rails above everyone. "...Touma...what is the meaning of this?"

Frozen and now sweating, Kamijou's mouth opened to say something. It did not matter what he said as long as it diffused the situation. Mugino, who had to turn to look up at the girl, and thus expose her bare shoulder, no longer appeared mortified. The listless expression she currently wore lasted for a fraction of a second. Hidden within the shade of the lamp-light, the edge of her lips twitched upwards.

"I-Index, um, this–"

No warnings, no cues, just impulse; that was the basis of her pushing her body back closer towards Kamijou.

Not once did she break contact with the nun who had returned to being her robe-garbed self.

"This is exactly what it looks like, so do you fucking mind?"

Kamijou's horrified expression thereafter was marked as the highlight of the evening. With a clear distraction and the veil of darkness as their aid, the Stalking Trio took advantage of this moment. Slipping away from the scene was probably the most difficult thing for them to do. Not because it was hard, as stated, they had plenty of advantageous aspects that supplied them aid in that regard. What made it difficult for them was the fact that they could not see how all of this played out all the way through. Shame as that was, it was a price to be paid for the sake of their own relative safety.

At the very least they had something to listen to as they were making their escape.

The string of insult that came out of that nun's mouth were...appropriate for her status as a nun.

* * *

Welcome to the bottom!

So...been awhile, huh? No shit, I've seen better days and 2019 started off on a fantastic note. Got the flu, stuck at home sick for a week, and everything fell apart around that time. More personal stuff happened, I started writing at the start of Febuary, but I ended up scrapping the chapter and re-writing it. Then there's the fact that Takitsubo is the stalker of the night; which is new and something I needed to experiment with. Not fun, not as easy as it is with Frenda or Kinuhata. The last couple segments were the most time consuming of all though. There were several things I wanted to do but couldn't.

Thanks a lot pre-established anime settings; ruining my fun and junk.

Now that all my explainations are done, I'd like to say that the final scene is two-fold. First, a call-back to chapter 3 and further showcasing that, yes, Touma still has his memories. And second, I guess it's my own sorta apology to all you guys. I kept you waiting for a painstakingly long time. I shouldn't have taken me three months to produce this. It'll still probably take awhile to do another chapter, I can't really say for certain. I'll do the best I can to not take this long again, but I promise nothing.

Lastly, once more, shout out to _**FrodoFighter** _for tackling this chapter for me. Keep him in your thoughts, he really isn't a fan of my 15k word-count. Not that I blame him; I dread it just like he does when I have to do it.

As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.

Goodbye for now.


End file.
